Jeypore: Nabarangpur MLA and District Planning Board member Manohar Randhari appeared before the Vigilance court on Wednesday in connection with a case of financial irregularities registered against him before he became an MLA.
Notably, Randhari is charged with bungling funds while he was a senior clerk and store in-charge at Nandahandi Block in Nabarangpur.
The court, after hearing arguments from both sides, granted bail to Randhari on a Rs 50,000 security deposit along with a personal release (PR) bond.
Complainant and former Congress MLA from Kodinga Sadan Nayak had brought the irregularities to the notice of State government. According to Nayak, Randhari had misappropriated cement and steel while working as the senior clerk and store in-charge of Nandahandi block between 2006 and 2008.
“This is not a vigilance case and Sadan Nayak, who is my political rival, has filed a private complaint which is nothing but political vendetta. Nayak had earlier filed a case to implicate me in some pending recovery of funds while I was working as a clerk and store incharge. I had cleared my dues and the vigilance had already submitted a report mentioning that I had no outstanding dues. Again, Nayak has filed a private complaint, which is nothing short of a political vengeance. I hope that I will get justice,” said Randhari
“Such irregularities surfaced in the audit report. After complaints, Randhari deposited some amount of money in phases. However, when the matter came to me, I had lodged a complaint asking how a person, who has misappropriated government property and funds meant for the poor tribals, can become a people’s representative? I wrote to the Governor and the chief minister about the same. When no inquiry was done after my written complaint, I filed a PIL in 2012. The High Court then directed the Vigilance SP of Jeypore to submit a report in this connection. But no such report was given to the court. Then I was forced to file a 1 CC case after which the case was taken into cognizance. Randhari had also approached the court to seek quashing of the complaint, but his plea was rejected. Subsequently, he was asked to appear before the court here,” said Nayak.
Refuting any political vendetta, Nayak said that both of them are MLAs from different constituencies and hence there is no question of rivalry. Because he is a public servant, he should be brought to justice for such misappropriation of public money, Nayak added.