The Odisha Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has raised allegations against the Odia newspaper Sambad, owned and edited by media personality Soumya Ranjan Patnaik. The EOW claims that Sambad was involved in a meticulously organized loan scam, where at least ₹50 crore in loans was obtained from various banks using forged salary certificates of its employees.
The EOW conducted a raid on the Sambad office following these allegations. This development occurred shortly after Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was removed from his position as vice-president of the Biju Janata Dal due to factional disputes within the party.
The EOW’s investigation into the Odia daily was initiated after a former employee, Ashim Mohapatra, filed a complaint under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including forgery and conspiracy.
According to a senior EOW official, the loan processes followed a consistent pattern. Loans of ₹5 lakh were sanctioned to employees under the guise of an easy money loan scheme for purposes like house repairs. Sambad submitted forged salary certificates, which significantly overstated the employees’ actual salaries. It appears that loan applications were prepared and filled out by someone else, with employees merely signing them, even though they did not receive any of the loan funds.
Once the loans were sanctioned, the funds were typically withdrawn in cash, and the equated monthly installments (EMIs) were almost equivalent to the net salary of employees. In some cases, employees were compelled to take out loans multiple times. Sambad made EMI payments for 60 installments, even in cases where employees had resigned. This loan sanctioning pattern has persisted for years and appears to be a well-planned conspiracy and organized bank fraud.
EOW officials stated that over 350 Sambad employees took loans from the Odisha Gramya Bank, IRC Village branch in Bhubaneswar alone over the past few years. Loans obtained from other banks, including SBI, are yet to be investigated.
Sambad has strongly denied the allegations, labeling them as politically motivated and an attack on press freedom. They believe the timing of the complaint raises questions about the complainant’s intentions and assert that they have nothing to hide regarding the case.
Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has been engaged in a public feud with VK Pandian, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary, in recent months, criticizing his extensive tours to all districts of the state. Patnaik’s removal from the vice-president position prompted him to question the authenticity of the removal order bearing Naveen Patnaik’s signature.
In response to the EOW case, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the state government of stifling press freedom and highlighted concerns about government officials making commitments to fulfill public demands during tours. They likened the situation to a dictatorship and criticized the filing of cases against those critical of the government.
The case underscores the complex dynamics between media, politics, and law enforcement in Odisha.
Prasanta Patnaik