Congress Demands Naveen’s Resignation Over Former DGP Prakash Mishra Issue
27 June, Bhubaneswar
Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra Saturday demanded resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the wake of the High Court quashing the Vigilance case filed against former Director General of Police Prakash Mishra.
Narasingh told newspersons here that Patnaik should step down as the Vigilance case against the former DGP was filed on his direction without any proper inquiry with a malafide intention to humiliate and harass an honest police officer and to prevent him from becoming the Director of CBI, as he did not bow to his political pressure.
The Congress leader also demanded that the Odisha Vigilance Director be immediately sacked, following the observation made by the Odisha High Court against him.
The court in its remark said the entire action of the Vigilance authorities smacks of arbitrary and malafide exercise of power with the motive to harass the petitioner and damage his reputation.
The court said the Director Vigilance to whom the file was marked by the Chief Minister to conduct an inquiry has abdicated his duty and responsibility and entrusted the enquiry to an officer of the rank of DSP in spite of the fact that the enquiry was being conducted against the former DGP of the state, one of the senior most IPS officers of repute in the country.
The Leader of Opposition said after the Court’s observation the chief minister should have sacked the Vigilance Director, but his silence indicated that the case was filed on his (Chief Minister) direction. The Vigilance in its FIR had stated that the ex DGP had shown undue favours to some suppliers in 2006 and caused pecuniary loss to the state exchequer when he was the Chairman of the Odisha Police Housing Corporation.
The former DGP who is now holding the DG CRPF had moved the High Court to quash the FIR alleging that the case was filed against him with a malafide intention to prevent him from becoming the Director of CBI and to humiliate him.
The Congress leader said Prakash Mishra in his petition had mentioned that the case was filed against him after police seized a huge amount of unaccounted cash during the last election and he refused to bow down to the political pressure not to properly inquire into the chit fund and mining scam.
He said the High Court in its judgment also said the Vigilance authorities proceeded in the matter and the entire exercise was made with a malafide intention to harass the petitioner and damage his reputation.
The High Court also observed that the case was registered even though no witness was examined, no statements were recorded during inquiry and no notice was issued to the petitioner.
Mishra said the inquiry officer wrote a letter to the Home Department on September 8, 2014 to know about the procedure of the Odisha Housing Corporation for placing order for materials, payments and advance.
But the case was filed before the reply from the Home department was received. Similarly, the inquiring officer wrote a letter to manufacturing farms and material supply agencies seeking details about the supply of material, bills and payments. But without waiting for the reply, the Vigilance case was filed on the same day against Mishra.
The Congress leader said the case was filed even though there was no specific allegation against the former DGP. The chief minister he said should owe responsibility and resign from his post.
He also demanded the Election Commission of India to inquiry into the use of unaccounted money to influence the voters and win the election as alleged by the former DGP and take action.
The Election Commission, he said should inquire whether the election was free and fair.