Sabyasachi Panda admits paying Rs 1 lakh to BJD; says it was a 'donation from a well wisher'

Berhampur: The mystery of the bank account belonging to 'Sabyasachi Panda' and the monetary transactions allegedly done through this account with the ruling BJD is deepening with each passing hour.

A day after flatly denying the allegation made by former Union minister Braja Kishore Tripathy about any monetary transaction with the BJD, Sabyasachi Panda, a Berhampur-based businessman, admitted having transferred Rs 1 lakh to BJD account on April 9, 2014.

“I have donated the money as a well wisher of BJD. That, however, does not mean I have any links with the party," Panda told OTV. Asked why he had donated the money to the BJD if he has no links with the party, he came out with an unconvincing "I paid the money because I had the wherewithal at the time."

In a chat with OTV earlier in the day, Panda had said; "I support the BJD party and I am inspired by Naveen Patnaik’s ideology. Besides, my family also fully supports the party.”

Rejecting Tripathy's charge that he had paid money to former district unit president of BJD Subash Moharana, Panda said; “Subash Moharana is my friend and business associate. He is not the person Braja Tripathy was talking about. He is not the former Ganjam district BJD president,”

Moharana, who was present with Panda, corroborated his friend saying; "There has been a confusion because we share the same name. But then two different people sharing the same name do not become the same person, do they?"

Asked about the charges of money transfer to the account of Dibyanshu Panigrahi, brother of Minister Pradip Panigrahi, Panda replied, “For the first time I am hearing his name. From the bank account statement you can see that the allegation of Braja Tripathy is false.”

Panda added, “I am going through severe mental stress due to these allegations and my daily life has become difficult. He (Braja Tripathy) should have all the facts before making the allegations.”

Panda said Braja Babu should come to the media and beg apology for having made false allegations. “He termed me as Maoist leader Sabysachi Panda and made false charges against me. I will file a defamation case against him if he do not seek apology in public.”

Reacting to Panda’s defamation law suit threat, Braja Tripathy told OTV over phone, “I have given the facts to the Prime Minister for a probe by a central agency. As the transactions violate the money laundering act, unlawful activities act and IPC laws, there is nothing wrong in asking for a probe. Anyone can ask for that. I have not named anyone. But I have said money has been transferred to different people. Besides, BJD has not denied the Rs 45 lakh transfer yet. I have asked for a probe as to why money was given during the poll season. There was no motive to defame anyone.”

Tripathy added, “Why is a police officer giving statement? No BJD spokesperson has denied the allegation. If they (BJD) have the courage, the State government should recommend a probe by a central agency.”

Tripathy said he had written about coal block and chit fund scams in the six-page letter to the Prime Minister. “The State government should recommend a probe to the Prime Minister and show the transparency of its governance,” the former Union Minister added.

Notably, two days back, Tripathy had alleged Rs 45 lakh was transferred through bank cheque (no 44 1630) from BJD’s A/C no 10091755246 to Sabyasachi Panda’s ICICI bank A/C no 203601501728 at Chhatrapur branch.