Bhubaneswar, Jan 17: On Monday, Union Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s brother, Soumendra Pradhan moved to the Orissa HC for anticipatory bail. On Saturday, his gas agency at Handidhua in Talcher was raided by the Vigilance sleuths and the officials have also registered a case against him in connection with irregularities and adulteration. Soumendra’s agency in Talcher, Pradhan Gas Agency was also raided by a 5-member team of Vigilance and Food Supply & Consumer Welfare departments led by Cuttack Vigilance division DSP. The officials seized the stock register, cash memo and sales register from the agency. Cases have been registered against 4 owners including Soumendra over irregularities in LPG distribution and adulteration under sections 120(B), 420 of IPC and sections 7 & 8 of Indian Explosives Act.
The Vigilance team continued their raids on petrol stations and gas agencies yesterday over reported theft and adulteration. The raids were conducted on 9 gas agencies across 6 districts of Odisha. These raids are being questioned on grounds of countering allegations that Dharmendra Pradhan was the target behind the solitary raid on his brother’s agency on Saturday. The Odisha BJP voiced its allegations accusing the State government of being scared.
