VK Pandian mastermind behind my cancelled-marriage with Pradeep Panigrahi’s daughter: Akash Pathak

Akash Pathak, who was about to become the son-in-law of the current Berhampur MP Pradeep Panigrahi, has revealed the reason behind his broken marriage in a recent interview with OTV.

Pathak alleged that former 5T Chairman VK Pandian had advised him not to marry Pradeep’s daughter. 

“Pradeep Panigrahi, who is a known political figure, was the bone of contention for the then Odisha government. I and my father were implicated because of Panigrahi, who was to be my father-in-law. Though I was implicated by the then government in different cases including the job fraud cases, the judiciary has acquitted me in most of the cases. Even in some cases, the government could not produce chargesheets. My engagement with Panigrahi’s daughter was conducted in 2019. However, the marriage was called off later,” said Pathak.

“The complainants have clearly admitted before the court that they don’t know Akash Pathak and Abhay Kant Pathak. They have also admitted that they were forced to lodge complaints about job fraud against us by the police. The vigilance could not find anything during their raids. They also didn’t give me any opportunity to produce documents in my defence and forwarded me,” he further said.

Must Read: Pradeep Panigrahi, 2 others acquitted in 2 fraud cases

“The then government and VK Pandian was the mastermind behind it and there is nothing to hide in it. I was told on November 22, 2020, at his residence in Unit VI that ‘I have to suffer’. I was told to break the marriage with Panigrahi’s daughter. Pandian was directly and openly telling me almost for a year not to keep a relationship with Panigrahi’s family. However, I told him that it was my personal matter and I had no political interests. I have never met him personally except for official matters. I had a good relationship with the then government until my marriage was fixed with Panigrahi’s daughter. Sometimes, the government is driven so much by its ego and vindictiveness that, it can’t understand the impact of it on others. Only 10 days were left for my marriage. I lost my mother, and love and was even terminated from my service after being put in jail. I was in judicial custody for 14 months and I went into depression. I have to take depression medicines,” he alleged.

However, no reactions in response to Pathak’s revelations were received from VK Pandian or the BJD.

The story will be further updated with the response once it is received.