Bhubaneswar: A day after Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi was sent to 14-day judicial custody, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) started an investigation into the financial transactions made by the MLA.
ED Joint Director Madhav Mishra Friday informed that the ED has sought an FIR copy from Odisha Crime Branch for the probe.
Sources said, in the last four months, Pradeep Panigrahi’s ICICI Bank Account in Court Peta Branch of Berhampur had received Rs 2,48,00,000 from various people.
ED is likely to investigate the source of the funds and the reason for which purpose the money was transferred to Panigrahi’s account. The investigating agency has sought details of his bank accounts and records of land owned by him in Soroda in this connection.
The ED has registered two cases against Panigrahi and suspended IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, who has been arrested on disproportionate assets charges recently.
Notably, Crime Branch officials Thursday night arrested Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi in connection with a job fraud case lodged with the Cyber Police Station here by Tata Motors. Earlier, he was picked up from his official residence in the City for interrogation.
He has been sent to 14-day Judicial Custody by the SDJM court Bhubaneswar.
PNN