Kendrapara court begins hearing on Baijayant’s false poll affidavit case

Kendrapara: The Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) on Saturday started hearing on the alleged submission of a false affidavit by Kendrapara Lok Sabha member Baijayant Panda during the 2014 polls.

Statements of two persons were recorded while petitioner filed an appeal for summoning the then returning officer.

The court posted the matter for next hearing on May 5.

In March this year, a voter Panda’s parliamentary constituency had moved the SDJM court seeking registration of a case against the Kendrapara MP under section 125 (A) Representation of the People Act alleging that the MP has concealed information in his poll affidavit.

On the other hand, the parliamentarian has been dismissing the allegation as ‘bizarre’ and dared BJD leaders to either move the Election Commission of India or the Orissa High Court on the issue.

It was alleged that Panda had concealed a lot of facts in the affidavit.

The BJD, which suspended Panda for his alleged anti-party activities, alleged that the industrialist-politician had concealed information on receiving a salary from Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Limited (IMFA) – a company controlled by Baijayant and his family – in the affidavit that he had submitted while filing nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls in 2014.