Soumya Patnaik steps down as ‘Sambad’ Editor amid 'loan fraud' row

Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has stepped down as the editor of Sambad', an Odia daily newspaper owned by him, amid the allegations of loan fraud. He has also resigned as the chairman of Eastern Media Limited.

The move came days after the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch raided ‘Sambad’ office over alleged loan fraud. Three joint teams comprising 12 officials of EOW, and Commissionerate Police had conducted the raids at the Sambad office in Rasulgarh.

After his resignation, his daughter Tanaya Patnaik, the executive director of Sambad group, has taken over as the editor of the newspaper.

“It may be his strategy. The government had got his office raided and may even arrest him to tarnish his reputation. He has stepped down as the editor of his newspaper because he may be thinking that if something bad happens to him, it won’t cause much damage to his organisation,” said senior journalist Rajaram Satpathy.  

Amidst the EOW probe, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik who had been raising questions over the state government and 5T secretary VK Pandian's district visits through his editorial was removed as BJD vice-president. 

Subsequently, on September 21, BJD expelled him from the party accusing him of being involved in 'anti-people' activities. However, Patnaik remained tight-lipped over his expulsion from the ruling BJD.

While Patnaik's silence raised several questions, his sudden stepping down from the editor's post has created a buzz.