Berhampur MP Panigrahy acquitted in all five job fraud cases

BERHAMPUR: In a major relief to Berhampur MP and BJP leader Pradeep Panigrahy, a local court acquitted him of the all the job fraud charges on Wednesday.

The Berhampur JMFC (rural) court, also the special designated court for MPs and MLAs, exonerated Panigrahy in three fraud cases registered against him on charges of cheating unemployed youths on the false pretext of providing jobs in an automobile company.

Panigrahy’s counsel Deepak Patnaik said the court acquitted the MP due to lack of evidence. A total of five job fraud cases were registered in Golanthara and Baidyanathpur police stations against him. On Tuesday, he was acquitted by the court in two cases. Former IFS officer Abhay Pathak and his son Akash, who were co-accused in one of the two cases, were also exonerated.