Former minister Dama Rout hints at BJD-Tito link

Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader Damodar Rout on Friday targeted his own party over links with gangster Tito and questioned the objective behind inclusion of the gangster's brother in the party.

Speaking to media persons Rout said, "Without politicians' patronage, gangster Tito couldn't have been able to extend his empire. Initial investigation reveals, Tito owns over Rs 100 crores. How the police and the Revenue department were unaware of it?"

Moreover, Odisha Congress also raised questions over Tito getting stevedoring licence in Paradip Port.

"How did Tito get stevedoring licence in Paradip Port within a month? Both the BJD and the BJP government support the gangster," alleged Odisha Congress chief, Niranjan Patnaik.

On the other hand, BJD spokesperson Samir Das, targeting BJP, also questioned on what basis Tito was given the licence inside the Port.

"The BJP got afraid of getting exposed and in a haste ordered CBI inquiry into the petrol pumps owned by Tito," said Das.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra alleged that Tito was a close aide of the ruling-BJD, which is currently scared of CBI investigation.