Bhubaneswar: The unholy alliance between illegitimate business transactions and shielding them through media has become a fashion for many. The arrest of Odisha Infratech’s Director Manoranjan Sarangi by the Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch and OTVs defense demonstrates the bonhomie between them.
Manoranjan, who also happens to be the CFO of OTV was arrested by the EOW for alleged involvement in buying land belonging to scheduled castes people of Sarua village in Khordha district.
Member of Parliament Dr Sasmit Patra has lambasted the OTV for shielding an illegal transaction and coming forward with statements that do not hold water. In a series of tweet, Sasmit has said that ” Strategy to use OTV as “Spokesperson” defending arrest of Jay Panda-owned Odisha Infratech’s Director, is a clever ploy to pressurize Odisha Law enforcement agencies saying, “You dare touch any Jay Panda company, OTV will pull it to itself & cry foul saying “Media Under Attack”.
He further says that “Mines owners & businessmen should learn from Jay Panda how to use media for protecting their business. If your company like Odisha Infratech commits land fraud & its Director is arrested, get your media #OTV to release press statement & defend. Who said “media shields” dont work? ”
Criticizing further, he said “Heard #BaijayantPanda has shareholding in 21 companies including #OTV. Convenient that there is #OTV to defend any illegality that takes place in those 21 companies. Like yesterday when Jay Panda owned Odisha Infratech Director got arrested for land scam and #OTV defended him. ”
Sasmit’s another tweet reads as “Odisha mines owner, businessman, real estate developer, media owner Baijayant Panda’s Odia TV #OTV acting as a “media shield” for defending illegalities in his other businesses. If Odisha Infratech commits fraud, #OTV defends. One should learn how media can be used from Jay Panda”
“A Director of Odisha Infratech Pvt Ltd was arrested yesterday for land fraud but #OTV defended him through Press Release. Have all #BaijayantPanda companies amalgamated with #OTV or using OTV as “Media Shield” is convenient to hide illegalities in other Jay Panda companies? “