Lokayukta Vs Pradeep Panigrahi: Vigilance can probe corruption allegations as SC sets aside HC Judgment

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today set aside the Orissa High Court’s order which had quashed the Odisha Lokayukta’s directive for a Vigilance probe against Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi.

It is to be noted here that the state Lokayukta had on December 11, 2020 directed the Vigilance Department of Odisha to probe into the corruption allegations leveled against Panigrahi and submit a probe report within two months.

However, Panigrahi had challenged the Lokayukta’s directive at the Orissa High Court, which on February 3, 2021, quashed saying that a complainant cannot be the investigator in a quasi-judicial proceeding.

After the HC quashed the Lokayukta order, the anti-corruption body had moved a review petition before it which was again dismissed in April 5. The Lokayukta then moved SC through Special Leave Petition against the HC orders and the apex court quashed the HC order today.

Acting on a complaint filed at the Cyber police station, the Odisha Crime Branch had arrested the Gopalpur MLA on December 3, 2020 under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 469, 471, 120-B of the IPC and Section 66C/66D of the IT Act.

In the complaint, it was alleged that Pradeep Panigrahi had collected huge amount of money from the job seekers with false assurance to provide jobs at Tata Motors. Panigrahi had allegedly collected the money on behalf of Akash Kumar Pathak.

It was reported that Akash, the son of the suspended IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, was slated to marry Panigrahi’s daughter.