Bhubaneswar: The students’ wing of the Congress party on Wednesday alleged that Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BYJD) president and Chandbali legislator Byomakesh Ray has ‘strong’ connections with criminal brothers Sushil and Sushant Dhalasamant.
Addressing the media, its members alleged that the MLA had links with the duo even before he was elected as president of the party’s students’ wing.
“Ray is associated with the brother duo much before the 2014 general election. He contested the election with funding from D-brothers and the poll expenses were channelized thorough Ajay Barik, the current deputy mayor of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC),” said Manoj Biswal, member of Student Congress.
“When Barik has already been interrogated by the police in connection with his links with D-brothers, Ray must be brought under the purview of investigation. Why did the police let him go despite knowing the fact?” he asked.
Members of the Students' Congress also alleged that the lawmaker was using the vehicle of Barik prior to the 2014 election.
“In 2013, Ray was using a Scorpio vehicle (OD-05-0001), which was registered in the name of Barik. After the election too, he continued to use the vehicle for official purposes. This shows how close he was with Barik,” a member said.
“When the students' Congress activists protest in a democratic way, they are put behind bars. But despite knowing all this, the police are doing nothing in the case of Ray. If he (Ray) is not arrested within 48 hours, we will gherao the Commissionerate office on April 9,” they stated.
The students's Congress leaders alleged that BCJD members were at the forefront of various programmes organised by D brothers.
Refuting the allegations, Ray said he had no links with D-brothers.
“Ajay Barik is an active member of our party. He is the deputy Mayor at CMC and director of Cuttack Urban co-operative bank. It has not yet been proved whether he had links with D-Brothers. He was once interrogated in connection with a matter related to collection of parking fees at Badambadi bus stand in his capacity as the president of the private bus owners' association. So far as my case is concerned, neither I have seen the brothers nor I know them, Ray said.
"While it is true that I was using his (Barik’s) Scorpio vehicle in 2013, I now have my own vehicle,” he clarified.