Non-Bailable Warrant Against Ex-MP Jayaram Pangi

Koraput: A court in Odisha’s Koraput district has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former MP Jayaram Pangi as per a complaint made by his driver.

Pangi’s driver Gopalkrishna Jena has alleged that the former MP had allegedly borrowed Rs 87 lakh from him for a petrol pump and gas depot. A few days after receiving Rs 33 lakh, Pangi was stated to have paid Rs 1 lakh as interest to Jena.

However, as the rest of the money was not returned.

Jena approached the court of the Nayagarh Sub-Divisional Magistrate regarding the matter. Pangi obtained a bail from the court in this case.

Later on, the court in Pottangi in Koraput district directed Pangi to appear before the Nayagarh court in relation to the case. When Pangi did not appear, the court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.

The court directed the Pottangi police station to arrest and produce Pangi on May 3, 2023.

Pangi is said to have moved Orissa High Court seeking relief, but the case was sent back to the Nayagarh district court.

Speaking to the media, Pangi refuted the allegations made by Jena. Pangi said, he had not taken anything from Jena but was a witness when his driver paid money to a borrower who is no not alive.

Pangi joined the Congress in December 2023 after resigbning from the Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti (BRS). Pangi was earlier elected to the Lok Sabha from Koraput on a BJD ticket. He left the BJD in 2019 and joined the BJP. He had unsuccessfully contested the Koraput Lok Sabha seat on BJP ticket.