Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 7: Food and civil supplies minister Sanjay Das Burma Thursday sent an eight-member team of lawyers to the CBI office here after the central agency had sent him a notice under Section 91 of CrPC.
The team, headed by advocate Mihir Mohanty, asserted that the allegations against Das Burma — that he has links with Artha Tatwa Group chief Pradeep Sethy — are baseless.
“All the allegations levelled against Das Burma are baseless. Some people are making a mountain out of a molehill. Das Burma had a Pajero SUV but sold it and purchased another Pajero. He is still paying the installments on the vehicle,” Mohanty said.
“We have given the details about the vehicles Burma and his family members have,” he said.
This comes just days after Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra had said — without naming anyone — that a 53-year-old Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader, who is the president of the Biju Yuva Janata Dal and in-charge of two important portfolios, was gifted a Pajero SUV by Sethy.
CBI officials said that when a notice is sent to someone under Section 91 of CrPC it is not mandatory for the person to appear in person. “We are examining the documents submitted by Das Burma’s lawyers. If the need arises, we will call Das Burma to appear before us for questioning,” said an official.
The central agency is aware that Das Burma had a Pajero SUV that he had purchased in Kolkata and that it had a Kendrapara registration number, but CBI officials do not have any information about the other Pajero of the minister, sources said.
Earlier, a representative of Das Burma had appeared before CBI officials April 6 in connection with the case as the minister was not present in the capital city. The CBI had reportedly asked Das Burma to appear before them April 5. However, the minister had sent Gauranga Sahoo to the CBI office here April 6.
Sources said the affidavit submitted in court by Sethy says he had given a green Pajero bearing registration number OR-29-0001 to Das Burma.
