Arrest warrant issued against former MP Jayaram Pangi for 'cheating' his driver of Rs 86 lakh

Trouble mounted for former MP and Congress leader Jayaram Pangi after the Pottangi court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him basing on the complaint of his driver Gopalkrishna Jena.

According to the complaint, Jayaram Pangi allegedly borrowed Rs 87 lakh from Gopalkrishna Jena for a petrol pump and gas depot. A few days after receiving Rs 33 lakh, Pangi reportedly paid Rs 1 lakh as interest to Gopal. But later, as the rest of the money was not received, Gopal took refuge in the court of Nayagarh Sub-Divisional Magistrate. Pangi obtained a bail from the court in this case.

Later, the Pottangi court directed Pangi to appear before the Nayagarh court. But he did not appear. Hence, a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against him. The Pottangi police station was then ordered to arrest him on May 3, 2023.

Pangi moved Orissa High Court seeking relief, but the case was sent back to the Nayagarh district court. As a result, Pottangi police station was directed to make the arrest on March 4 this year.

Asked about the arrest warrant, Pangi said, “I have not taken anything from him (Gopal). But I will anyway pay his money first. I was a witness when Gopal paid money to the borrower. He is not alive anymore so he cannot pay back. So the people from whom Gopal sourced the money are probably coercing him to force me to pay him back as the transaction was made in front of me.”

the bail come through first. I will pay his money back. Then we will address the court case,” Pangi said.

It is pertinent to mention here that after hopping parties several times in the past, veteran leader and former Koraput MP, Jayaram Pangi finally joined Congress in December 2023.

Earlier to that, Pangi had joined the Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti (BRS) led by Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao in Hyderabad. He was earlier elected as MP from Koraput on a ticket from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). In 2019, Pangi deserted the BJD and joined the BJP. He had unsuccessfully contested the Koraput Lok Sabha seat on BJP ticket.