KENDRAPARA: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police on Saturday summoned BJP leader and State Committee member Bhuban Mohan Jena under Section 160 of Criminal Procedure Code for probe into allotment of a petrol pump in the name of Sayeed Brothers Filing Station in Kendrapara and ad hoc dealership of Company Owned Company Operated Retail Outlet (COCO) in Paradip to the relatives of gangster Usman Ali alias Tito.
Jena has been directed to appear before STF on March 7 in Bhubaneswar. “We will quiz Bhuban Mohan Jena as during investigation, we found that he is well acquainted with the facts and circumstances regarding allotment of petrol pumps in the name of the relatives of Tito in Kendrapara and Paradip,” said DSP, STF T K Mohanty.
He said the STF had earlier filed a case under Sections 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), 414 (assisting in concealment of stolen property) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing deliver of property), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC against Tito and others. The STF had sealed the petrol pump in Kendrapara and COCO unit in Paradip.
Meanwhile, Jena said the notice by STF is an attempt to defame him and his party ahead of elections. “I have no links with Tito and his family members. I will appear before the STF,” he said.
Tito was arrested by the STF following an encounter on June 30 last year. The CBI officials had raided the petrol pump of Tito’s wife in Kendrapara in the presence of the officials of STF. Earlier, the STF had sealed commercial and residential premises of Tito and his associates in Kendrapara, Pattamundai and Paradip.
Prasanta Patnaik