Congress, BJP demand high-level probe in Bhubaneswar honey-trap case

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The opposition BJP and Congress in Odisha demanded a high-level investigation into the honey-trap case in Bhubaneswar, accusing the BJD government of trying to protect those involved in it. The BJP demanded a CBI probe into the matter, alleging that several state ministers were involved in it.

"Police have utterly failed to conduct a proper investigation into the case, in which several senior ruling party leaders, including ministers, are said to be involved. The matter raises further suspicion as police are not revealing the names of all those having links with the blackmailing racket," BJP Mahila Morcha president Smruti Patnaik alleged at a press conference on Tuesday.

The woman, a resident of Kalahandi, was arrested last week for allegedly extorting influential people after honey-trapping them. She befriended people on social media, and blackmailed them after clicking their intimate photos with her, police said. The woman's husband is also involved in the racket, and by not arresting him, the police allowed him to destroy evidence, Patnaik alleged.

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"It appears that there is direct involvement of the ruling party and the state government in this racket. There is an attempt to shield the culprits. It is a fit case to be handed over to the CBI as the state police is incapable to investigate it," she alleged. The Congress demanded a court-monitored SIT probe into the case.

"Several ruling party members were involved and patronised the woman and her husband, who made crores of rupees by blackmailing," Congress leader Debasis Patnaik alleged. Rejecting the allegations, the BJD asked the Congress and the BJP to provide evidence that its leaders were involved in the matter.

"If the BJP is in possession of any photos or other evidence, it should make those public, instead of levelling wild allegations. I throw a challenge to them to prove the BJD's involvement," party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.

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