Bhubaneswar: Odisha President of Petroleum Dealers Association (PDA), Sasanka Sekhar Sahu on Saturday lodged a complaint leveling misbehavior allegations against Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Twin City Police Commissioner (CP), Sudhanshu Sarangi.
Lodging a complaint at Capital Police Station against the CP, Sahu said that he had gone to meet Sarangi on October 21 to hold discussions with him on some issues regarding establishment of a petrol pump after meeting Odisha Governor; however, the cop not only allegedly refused to entertain him, but also misbehaved by pushing and shoving him.
“We wanted an NOC for a petrol pump. We had shot a requisition letter to the Odisha Governor and later I took a letter forwarded by the Governor to meet the CP since he is the approving authority of NOC, but surprisingly he behaved very rudely,” alleged Sahu.
Criticizing Sarangi for the incident, Sahu said, “I have known many bureaucrats, I have never ever seen such an officer who is not even listening to people’s grievances. I urge the police to get a CCTV video footage of the entire incident and probe the matter.”
Sahu condemned the incident and said it is the reality of the government’s much-hyped 5T and Mo Sarkar initiative. “I am really concerned that while the government is boasting about Mo Sarkar, people like us are facing such harassment; and just imagine what would be the condition of general public.”
Sahu also informed that the association has apprised the Home Secretary and DGP Odisha and also threatened that if the government does not take it seriously, all petrol pumps will go on strike.
On the other hand, CP Sarangi refuted the allegations leveled against him and clarified that even though he could not hold any discussions with Sahu, he did not misbehave with him.
“I was busy for a scheduled Kali Puja coordination meeting in Cuttack just immediately after monitoring the visit of former Uttar Pradesh CM and their Ex-Police Commissioner’s visit to Odisha. So when the gentleman (Sahu) came to me to discuss his grievances, I asked him politely to come after taking an appointment and also assured him to look into the matter, but he tried to pressurize me saying that it is Governor’s order. But even though I sent him away, later next day, I sent some officials to find him so that I could discuss with him, but it has been four days, he has been elusive, which we think is because he wants to make it a big issue,” Sarangi said.
“At a time when we are trying to give supreme importance to public service, if a person tries to put undue pressure on us because he thinks that he has close links with someone like the CM or the Governor, how can we win the trust of general public who have no such connections,” said the commissioner.