A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Vigilance Director K.B. Singh on Saturday for falsely implicating former DGP Prakash Mishra in a financial irregularities case.
The complaint was filed by former MP and Utkal Bharat president M.A. Kharabela Swain.
Mr. Swain filed the FIR with the city police here accusing the chief minister and the vigilance director of entering into a criminal conspiracy to prevent Mr. Mishra from being selected as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director for which his name was being considered.
Mr. Mishra is presently the director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The Odisha High Court on June 20 had quashed the state vigilance case against Mr. Mishra over allegations that he favoured some suppliers in 2009 during his tenure as the CMD (chairman-cum-managing director) of the Odisha Police Housing and Welfare Corporation.
“It’s not uncommon that honest and upright officers are victimised by political establishments,” Justice S.C. Parija said in his order.
The judgment further stated, “There is no doubt that the vigilance authorities proceeded in the matter with a predetermined agenda to implicate the petitioner Sri Prakash Mishra, irrespective of whether any material is available to substantiate the allegations.”
Mr. Swain said the vigilance director had lodged a case to appease his political boss without any corroborative prima facie evidence against Mr. Mishra.
Mr. Swain had earlier sought Mr. Patnaik’s resignation over the issue.
Prasanta Patnaik