Bikram Keshari Arukh (top) and Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 8: Pressure is mounting on state law minister Bikram Keshari Arukh to resign following allegations that he has taken two houses from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority under discretionary quota by using his political influence.

Arukh, who admitted that he had taken two houses under the discretionary quota, said: “I have done nothing illegal. I have not yet taken possession of the two houses. I will return one of the house to the authority.”

The minister, who had been elusive to the media for the last two days, today made a sudden appearance in the secretariat following chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s instructions. He then spoke to the media representatives in his chamber explaining his stand on the issue. Earlier, the chief minister had said he would look into the allegations against the minister.

Looking visibly agitated, Arukh tried his best to answer the queries of mediapersons on the allotment of two houses to him by the development authority under the discretionary quota.

Arukh said: “I have got two houses, one in the name of my wife, Jayalaxmi, at Kalinga Vihar in 2007 and another in my name at Ananat Vihar in Pokhariput–II in 2009. I had applied for the houses under the development authority’s scheme. I have not hidden any information sought by the authority. As per the eligibility criteria mentioned in the authority’s brochure, I was entitled for the allotment.”

However, an official of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority said a person already having a house, either in his name or in the name of one of his family members, was not entitled for a second house.

The minister said he had already deposited Rs 7 lakh for the house at Kalinga Vihar and arranged Rs 59 lakh for the Anata Vihar house by obtaining bank loans.

“I have also arranged money from my agricultural incomes and other savings,” he said. Both the houses are core structures built on plots of 2,400sqft each.

Being an influential leader of the BJD, Arukh had managed to influence the then housing and urban development minister K.V. Singh Deo in 2007 to get a house under the discretionary quota. In 2009, Arukh had influenced Badri Naryan Patra to get a house from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority under the discretionary quota. While Singh Deo belonged to the BJP, Patro belongs to his own party.

Both Singh Deo and Patro said Arukh was allotted the houses under the discretionary quota as he had mentioned that he did not have a house in Bhubaneswar.

Targeting Arukh, the BJP today demanded the resignation of the minister. However, the minister refused to resign. “The chief minister is examining this issue. I will do whatever he asks me to do. But, I have not done anything illegal,” said Arukh.

BJP vice-president Ashok Sahu said: “As a law minister, Arukh had committed illegalities. He has no other option than to return the house and resign on moral grounds.”

Sahu also alleged that the minister had been allotted two more houses in the name of his two brothers-in-law, Kumud Pradhan and Niraj Pradhan.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said: “The BJD government is in the habit of flouting rules.”