Sarua Land Scam Case: Odisha HC Concludes Hearing, Reserves Judgement

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today concluded hearing and reserved judgement in the case in which Odisha Infratech Pvt. Ltd (OIPL) and others had challenged the case filed against it by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch in the Sarua land scam matter.

The court also extended the interim protection from arrest granted by it to BJP’s National Vice President Baijayant Panda and his wife and OTV’s MD Jagi Mangat Panda, two promoters of the company, till pronouncement of the judgement.

On the other hand, Manoranjan Sarangi, one of the petitioners, told the court that he doesn’t wish to continue as a petitioner in the case as he has resigned from the post of director of OIPL.The court today also granted interim protection from arrest to another petitioner Nihar Ranjan Bhuyan till November 19.

Between June, 2010 and June, 2013, the company had purchased lands at Sarua in Khordha district belonging to Scheduled Caste people at prices much lower than the benchmark valuation in the name of Rabi Sethi, who was working as a driver of one of the directors of the firm. Possession of the land was never with Sethi, rather it was taken over by the firm, the State Crime Branch had said.

Government of Odisha had ordered a Crime Branch probe in the land scam matter.