BJD, BJP indulge in mud-slinging over seizure of Rs 40 lakh in bypoll bound Bijepur in Odisha

Naveen to hit campaign trail on Monday; Smriti to canvas for party candidate on Tuesday

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, feb18: Odisha police on Sunday arrested two businessmen a day after seizing Rs 40 lakh cash from them in bypoll-bound Bijepur.

The arrested persons were identified as Om Prakash Agarwal and his son Akash Agarwal and of Padampur area under Bargarh district.

The police on Saturday night had detained the father-son near check gate at Mahulipali square on Padampur-Bijepur road while the duo was transporting around Rs 40 lakh cash in their Mahindra Scorpio four-wheeler.

The police suspected that the huge amount of cash was carried by the two for distribution in Bijepur to allure the voters ahead of the bypoll scheduled on Feb 24.

Acting on information, police detained the Agarwals and their Xylo (with the number OD 17 G 1855) and seized around Rs 40.50 lakh from them.

The seizure of the money has led mud-slinging between the ruling BJD and BJP. While the BJP filed a petition with the Chief Electoral Officer alleging that the father and son duo were carrying money for the BJD, the latter on the other hand said the two arrested persons were members of the BJP Bajarang Dal, a member of organization of the Sangh Parivar.

Meanwhile, chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik will campaign for his party candidate Rita Sahu on Monday.

On the other hand, Union textile and information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani will hit the campaign trail for Bijepur by-poll in Odisha on Tuesday, party sources said.