Bhubaneswar: A day after stating that 'a 53-year-old BJD leader and the president of Biju Yuva Janata Dal, who is in charge of two important portfolios', was gifted with a Pajero SUV by AT group chief Pradip Sethi, senior Congress leader and MLA Lalatendu Bidyadhara Mohapatra on Friday disclosed more information about the vehicle alleging the ruling party leader was using the SUV between 2007 and 2009.
In a scarcely veiled attack on Food Supplies minister Sanjay Dasburma, he said the green Pajero SUV bearing registration no. OR-29-0001 had a red beacon light and Secretariat entry pass.
Mohapatra told media persons, “The chairperson of a house breaking corporation (Housing Board Corporation) was using the vehicle. How come he had got the right to use the vehicle with red beacon? I had raised the issue in the Assembly then.”
He also demanded that the State government should clarify the matter regarding the vehicle.
Reacting to the charges, Pratap Jena, spokesperson of BJD, said, “As the CBI is investigating the matter, the truth will come out in due course. If there is any truth in the allegation, action will be taken.”
Earlier in the day, the arrested AT group chief said after his routine appearance at a court here, “During the 2014 election, I was requested by some political leaders to lend some vehicles. Many of these have not returned to me yet.”