Bhubaneswar, Dec 1 (PTI) Two days after senior leader and MLA Pradeep Panigrahi was expelled from the party for "anti-people" activities, the ruling BJD on Tuesday alleged that he was involved in cheating youths promising them jobs and in a land fraud case.

The Gopalpur MLA denied the charge and alleged that his relatives and supporters are being harassed by the police after his expulsion from the party though is no complaint was filed against him.

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BJD Spokesperson Lenin Mohanty alleged that Panigrahi was involved in land fraud and also duped 68 people on the pretext of providing them with jobs through the son of a suspended Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer.

The father-son duo was recently arrested and sent to jail in a disproportionate asset case.

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"Panigrahi travelled in chartered aircraft and spent money lavishly. Despite being a people's representative, he was merrymaking in Mumbai, Pune and other places when Ganjam district was under the grip of the COVID-19," Mohanty claimed.

Ganjam is the home district of the former minister.

Alleging that Panigrahi flew in chartered flights 18 times during Covid-19 crisis period, another BJD Spokesperson Pratap Deb said that he must clarify whether the money he spent belonged to the public.

There are allegations that money was fraudulently taken from people on the promise of giving them jobs, Deb said adding that investigation is underway.

Deb said BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik never takes any action without valid reason or proof.

Denying the allegations, Panigrahi said he flew in a chartered aircraft with due permission from the Director General of Civil Aviation and the Airport Authority of India to attend a social function in Pune.

Claiming that he was being used as a scapegoat to divert people's attention from burning issues, the three-time MLA said that no complaint was registered against him, but the police are harassing his relatives in a bid to coerce them to lodge a case against him.

Panigrahi is the first leader in the regional party who has been expelled on the charge of "anti-people" activities, though many of its members in the past were removed from the BJD on "anti-party" charges.

The BJD expelled Panigrahi on November 29, but it did not clarify then the nature of the offence he allegedly indulged in.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)