Opposition asks government to probe nexus

BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition on Friday demanded a high level probe and a statement from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik even as the police arrested contractor Bapi Sarkel from Chhattisgarh in connection with clash at the Posco site that claimed one life.Raising the issue during zero hour in the Assembly, Jaynarayan Mishra (BJP) alleged that as the Jagatsinghpur district police authorities are very close to Sarkel, any investigation by them into his activities will never be impartial. Demanding that a DIG level officer should be given charge of investigation into his activities, Mishra said the district police should not be entrusted with any probe.Pratap Chandra Sarangi (Ind) demanded an investigation into reports that Sarkel had gifted a necklace costing about Rs 26 lakh to the wife of a senior official of Jagatsinghpur district.Santosh Singh Saluja (Cong) demanded a statement from the Chief Minister on where Sarkel has been kept after his arrest. What has the police done to the papers and other documents seized during raid in his office, Saluja said and alleged that attempts are being made to suppress them as it will expose many persons.Jagatsinghpur SP Devdatta Singh said that two teams led by inspector-in-charge (IIC) of Kujang police station Gupteswar Bhoi were sent to Raipur on a tipoff about the presence of Sarkel there. He was arrested in the wee hours of Friday from a hotel.The arrest comes nine days after the bloody clash  that claimed one life and left at least 25 pro and anti-Posco agitators injured. Five persons had been rounded up after the incident while Sarkel was not traceable. Two FIRs had been filed against him at Kujang police station.