BJD leader quizzed in fake gazette scam

BHUBANESWAR: The economic offence wing (EOW) on Monday interrogated former youth BJD leader Prakash Jena for his alleged links with suspended government officer

Motilal Gouda

, who was arrested in July on charges of forging a government gazette notification for financial gain.

EOW said it found online banking transaction between Gouda and Jena. Nearly Rs 4 lakh was transferred from Gouda's account to that of Jena in the past. "We asked him about the transaction," said an EOW officer. Jena was quizzed for two hours.

He admitted he took money from Gouda, but pleaded innocence. "I was working in a clinic, which was partly owned by his wife. The money I received from him was my dues. I never connived with him in faking any gazette," Jena told media persons.

Jena's interrogation assumes significance as Gouda is a close a confidante of several BJD leaders. Gouda, an MBBS graduate, brought out the fake notification in September last year by empanelling five private pathology laboratories to conduct pre-employment health check-up of employees of various factories. Gouda allegedly received nearly Rs 1 crore kickbacks from those clinics. Arrested on July 3, Gouda has been cooling his heels at Jharpada special jail. On Monday, a trial court rejected his bail plea.

But the moot question remains whether the EOW would turn the heat on some influential BJD leaders, whose photographs with Gouda are on the social media. A minister and two MLAs were found in the photographs.

Gouda's alleged scam would have been swept under the carpet had those photographs not surfaced in social media. Under fire, Gouda earlier said he became a victim due to the infighting between two ministers. Gouda's alleged scam left the ruling party in a spot as he reportedly enjoyed blessings of several BJD politicians. Opposition Congress and BJP have been demanding interrogation of the politicians, whose names are doing the rounds in the scam.