Defending Prabhat, BJD mounts attack on BJP

Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Jananta Dal (BJD) on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on BJP and accused it of misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for ‘political revenge.’

The statements of BJD came hours after the CBI arrested Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Prabhat Ranjan Biswal in connection with his involvement in the Seashore chit fund scam.

Addressing a press conference, BJD Vice-President, Prasanna Acharya came down heavily on BJP-led Union Government and accused it of resorting to ‘Kal (misutilisation of government machinery), Bal (money power) and Chaal (trickery) to settle political scores.

Also Read: Seashore scam: BJD MLA Prabhat Biswal arrested by CBI

Acharya alleged that both Prabhat Biswal and his wife had submitted relevant documents and also appeared in person before the CBI whenever they were summoned in the past.

“The way Prabhat Biswal was summoned at the dead of the night; it appears that CBI probe into chit fund scam is arbitrary & sporadic. The agency is being misused by the centre to settle political scores,” said Acharya.

“It appears that CBI is acting at the behest of PM Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre. Be it Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate or the CBI, the Union Government has been misusing them against other political parties,” said Revenue Minister and BJD leader Maheswar Mohanty.

Citing that BJP’s National President Amit Shah at a public meeting in Bhubaneswar earlier had threatened to put BJD leaders behind bars, BJD said Biswal’s arrest is part of a larger conspiracy in Odisha.

“We are questioning CBI’s approach which seems impulsive as they have been sleeping over the cases for long. We are protesting the way BJP is politicizing the issue through CBI,” said Pratap Deb.

BJP on the other hand claimed that BJD is trying to put pressure on CBI by making such baseless allegations as Odisha Chief Minsiter Naveen Patnaik is apprehending more arrests in the chit fund scam.

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