Odisha Law Minister announces probe into V Karthikeyan Pandian's helicopter travel expenses

Bhubaneshwar: Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Sunday announced an inquiry into the helicopter travel and associated expenses of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) bureaucrat-turned-politician V Kathikeyan Pandian.

The probe, the minister said, will also look into the construction of helipads with government funds and permissions given for use of helicopters by a departmental secretary. Amid the controversy, the Congress has demanded a thorough probe into the BJD government’s involvement in multiple scams.

“The state government wants to know how an IAS officer like Pandian was allowed to fly in a helicopter and who bore the cost. Secondly, wherever he went, the then government ordered construction of helipads with government funds. He visited 400-450 places using helicopters. The allegations of use of government funds to construct the helipads will be probed,” Harichandan said.

He also said that an inquiry would also be conducted into how a departmental secretary was allowed to use the helicopter in the state.

“An inquiry will also be initiated to find out who and how permission to use helicopters was granted by a departmental secretary, even though there is no such provision,” Harichandan said.

Amid the ongoing controversy over Pandian’s helicopter rides, the Congress has also demanded an inquiry into the involvement of the then BJD government in several multi-crore scams.

“Instead of confining the probe to Pandian’s helicopter rides, the Congress urges the state government to probe the BJD’s involvement in multiple scams, including a Rs 35,000 crore rural drinking water project scam, a scam in medical expenses related to treatment of patients during the Covid 19 pandemic and Rs 20,000 crore irregularities in procurement of items.

“Was there any audit of the funds used for treatment of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic? If not, the BJP government should do it. The then BJP government claimed to have spent Rs 20,000 crore on purchasing various electronic equipment. But were these funds assessed or verified by any competent authority? There are many irregularities, especially in hockey. They should be properly investigated,” demanded senior Congress leader Bijay Patnaik.

On the other hand, the BJD refuted the allegations and said that Pandian had been visiting various places using helicopters to address public grievances.

“Pandian visited different places using helicopters to hear the grievances of the public. The issue should not be politicised. However, with the BJP coming to power, the CP practices have started at the ward level,” BJD leader Sambit Routray said.