Paradip Port Graft Case: CBI produces Health Officer in court, may seek remand

Bhubaneswar: As the remand of Paradip Port health officer Rajendra Narayan Panigrahi comes to an end on Monday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) produced the tainted doctor before the designated court in Bhubaneswar. The doctor was arrested by the central investigating agency on graft charges.

CBI officials had caught Panigrahi red-handed while accepting Rs 54,000 as bribe from crew members of Eminence Shipping Agency to issue health clearance certificate on Thursday. CBI had subsequently carried out raids on multiple locations linked to the health officer of the Port Health Organisation (PHO), Paradip Port.

During raids, the officials unearthed huge moveable and immovable property at Praradip, Balasore, Cuttack, and Hyderabad and seized cash to the tune of Rs 17 lakh, US Dollars worth over Rs 17 lakh, imported liquor and cigarettes, hard disks, and costly gifts from his residence.

The CBI had taken the tainted doctor on remand for a period of five days for interrogation in two phases With the remand period coming to an end, he was produced before the designated CBI court on Monday.

Meanwhile, he was sent to Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar following completion of his remand with CBI. The bail application filed by the doctor is slated to be heard on Tuesday.

The investigating agency is likely to seek further remand of the doctor for further probe and questioning regarding the huge amount of foreign currency and other assets amassed by him, sources said.

As per a new information, the CBI may also question a builder regarding purchase of a flat for Rs 80 lakh by the tainted doctor. The 3-BHK flat, located in Nayapalli area of Bhubaneswar, had been gifted by the health officer to his mother, reports said. The CBI officials were stated to have conducted raid at the same flat.