BJP for CBI probe into land scam in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Hitting out at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for alleged cover up bid in land scam, BJP today demanded a CBI probe into allotment of land and houses as role of political leaders had now surfaced during inquiry into chit fund scandal by the central agency.

"The state government should hand over probe into irregularities in land allotment to CBI on its own in order to unravel the role of political leaders and land mafia," senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said.

Mounting a scathing attack on the Chief Minister, he claimed the state government had rejected the demand for a CBI probe into chit fund scam a year ago claiming that crime branch police was inquiring into the matter properly.

However, involvement of political leaders in chit fund scam is now coming to fore during CBI inquiry being conducted into the scandal following Supreme Court order, Mohapatra said.

"The Chief Minister remained silent in chit fund scam and now in land scam. While opposition to CBI probe into chit fund scam did not succeed, land scam will also meet with the same fate," the BJP leader said.

Slamming the Chief Minister for being silent on involvement his party colleagues in land scam, he said while the Accountant General mentioned party leaders including ministers in his report, Patnaik failed to take any action.

Claiming that the AG report has blurred the image of Patnaik, he alleged the chief minister tried to suppress the report from March 2012 and did not comply with many queries or supply information despite repeated reminders.

The AG had sought certain files from BDA and GA department which were not provided, he claimed adding even after CAG requested the chief minister to personally intervene in the matter little was done.

The BJP leader further claimed that several pages were found missing from a file relating to a group housing scheme in which state government incurred a loss of Rs 463 crore as pointed out in CAG report.