Bhubaneswar: The officials of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at multiple places linked to Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former minister Prafulla Samal in connection with gross irregularities committed during his tenure as head of Barapada Engineering College in Bhadrak district.
As per reports, the central probe agency conducted simultaneous raids at 10 places linked Samal who is a sitting BJD MLA from Bhandaripokhari. The 10 places included six in Bhadrak town and four in Bhubaneswar.
The ED also conducted raids on the house of the former principal of Barapada Engineering College.
It is suspected that the raids are being made in connection with alleged financial irregularities at Barapada Engineering College in Bhadrak.
Notably, there had been protests in Bhadrak over the same issue of financial irregularities in the college.
It has been alleged that the minister and his son Prayaskanti Samal are involved in a multi-crore scam involving Barapada Engineering College where the father-son duo has allegedly swindled crores of rupees collected from students as fee to buy lands and flats in Bhubaneswar and other places. Besides, there are also allegation that the father and son duo sold government lands given to the college after plotting them to private individuals.
Replying to media queries, Samal's lawyer said, “This seems like a conspiracy. against my client. We are trying tom contact the ED officials but they are neither seeing us nor commenting anything. Prafulla Samal has many diseases. He needs continuous treatment. The ED officials are harassing him."
While no actual reason for the raids has been revealed by the ED officials yet, it is expected that the probe agency will make a statement after the raids are over.
Raids were on till this report was filed.
