Bargarh: The vice-chairman of Paikmal block in Bargarh district, Sanjib Bariha, has been arrested for allegedly forging his caste certificate to contest elections from a seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
Following a complaint, Paikmal police registered a case (239/25) Monday and arrested Bariha. He was later produced before the Padampur court, where his bail plea was rejected, and he was subsequently remanded to judicial custody at Padampur Sub-Jail.
According to reports, Bariha had contested the 2022 three-tier panchayat elections from Kansada panchayat under Paikmal block and was elected as a samiti member. Later, he became the vice-chairman of Paikmal block. The Kansada samiti seat was reserved for Scheduled Tribes, but Bariha, who actually belongs to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, allegedly forged a caste certificate to contest from the reserved seat.
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The Paschim Odisha Adivasi Mahasangha had filed a complaint with departmental authorities, alleging that Bariha had fraudulently obtained the post. The organisation had also staged a demonstration in front of the Paikmal block office and later observed a hunger strike outside the Padampur sub-collector’s office, demanding action.
After no action was taken, the Mahasangha’s Bargarh district president, Gobinda Bariha, lodged a written complaint with the state-level scrutiny committee, prompting a departmental investigation. Subsequently, District Welfare Officer Malay Kumar Satapathy filed an FIR at Paikmal police station, leading to Bariha’s arrest.
Police sources said the arrested vice-chairman is also facing multiple other cases pending against him
PNN
