Vigilance begins probe into ‘sting’ operation

Bhubaneswar, Aug 31 (PTI) A day after Odisha ChiefMinister Naveen Patnaik ordered a vigilance probe into thealleged demand of bribe from industries purportedly by fourruling BJD MLAs, the anti-corruption wing of Odisha Policetoday formed five teams to investigate the matter. Patnaik had asked the vigilance department after a privatenews channel aired a sting operation purportedly showing fourBJD MLAs making deal with an undercover person posing as anindustrialist. Vigilance Director RP Sharma said five teams have beenformed initially to probe the incident with each team givenspecific job. "We have started the probe. If necessary, more teams willbe formed," he said adding that the department will chalk outa procedure to reveal truth in the allegation. Stating that the prime objective of the team is to conductan impartial probe, Sharma said the Vigilance team willcollect the audio and video clippings flashed in the media andsend them for forensic test as it is required for the legalpoint of view to verify the authenticity of the tapes. Persons resembling the four BJD law makers were allegedlydemanding money from industries for helping them to set upindustries in their respective constituencies in theunauthenticated clips of a purported sting operation aired inmedia. Meanwhile, in a joint statement, four BJD MLAs – SusantKumar Behera, Seemarani Nayak, Bijay Kumar Nayak and AnamNayak, said that the vigilance probe would bring truth to thefore. The four MLAs said as they belong to Dalit and tribalcommunities, they have been trapped. PTI AAM SUSKUN