Media should identify 'godfather' behind Rs 100-cr sapling scam: Dama Rout

Bhubaneswar: Former Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout on Thursday once again raked up the sapling scam by stating that the media should identity the 'godfather' who shielded the corrupt officials.

Speaking to the media, Rout said, "If I could take the name of the godfather, I would have taken it. As I suspended an official who was involved in graft, I was sacked as minister and the accused person was reinstated."

On being further asked to name the alleged godfather, Rout said that the media should take the responsibility and identify the person.

On the other hand BJP's Padampur MLA, Pradip Purohit said, "Rs100 crore scam! Never such an irregularity had happened in Odisha. The matter will be raised in the Odisha Assembly and the BJD legislators and ministers will have to answer, name the godfather and present details of the steps taken against the corrupt officials."

He further said that if needed, the State BJP will demand a CBI inquiry into the scam to put all the corrupt officials behind bars.

Earlier on Wednesday, Rout had courted controversy by stating that sapling scam took place in almost all the districts of the State and the actual amount could be over Rs 100 crore.