Baripada: In deference to an order of the Orissa High Court, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, Bishweswar Tudu deposed at the Baripada Town police station, Friday, in connection with a case filed against him earlier.
Notably, two government officials had filed a complaint against Bishweswar Tudu accusing him of assaulting them during a review meeting January 21. In the complaint it was said that Tudu had called Deputy Director of the District Planning and Monitoring Department Ashwini Kumar Mallick and Assistant Director Debasish Mohapatra to his office for a review meeting on utilisation of his MPLAD funds in the district. During the meeting, the minister had allegedly abused and assaulted the duo. An audio clip of the conversation between the minister and the two officials had gone viral, creating flutters in various circles.
Following a complaint by Mallick and Mohapatra, police registered a case and got statements of the two officials recorded at JMFC court.
Earlier, the High Court had granted anticipatory bail to the Union Minister and directed him to depose before the investigating officer March 4. Tudu reached the police station Friday and talked to the investigating officer for five to seven minutes. Tudu however, had earlier dismissed the allegation made against him.
