Jharsuguda : Odisha State Government on Wednesday suspended Jharsuguda District Collector Jyoti Ranjan Pradhan, for going against the ruling of Orissa’s High Court and scrapping of a license of a liquor shop in Jharsuguda District.
Following which, Pradeep Kumar Sahoo, Jharsuguda Additional District Magistrate took charge as District Collector.
Sahoo said, “I am not aware of the matter as I have recently joined, I just got an order on Wednesday morning to join as in-charge Collector, and as per the order I have joined as In-charge collector and would carry out all the works of the government.”
Orissa High Court had directed the State government to suspend Jyoti Ranjan Pradhan for violating the court’s order in connection with the cancellation of a liquor shop’s license. Simultaneously, the court had also ordered the state government to conduct an inquiry, whose reports will be provided by the Revenue Secretary, on the next hearing which is to be held on August 27th.
The High court’s ruling came after a petition filed by one Smt. K. Bina Patnayak of Jharsuguda, who alleged that the Jharsuguda Collector had violated the court’s interim order on March 19, 2019.
According to the reports, Patnayak had acquired a license from the Excise Department to run a liquor shop in Brajrajnagar, but due protests from the locals, the shop could not be opened, later the excise officials had demanded the tax from her, following which she moved the Orissa High court against it.
After conducting the hearing in the case on March 19, 2019, it had issued a notice to the state government and pronounced an interim order banning it from taking action against the petitioner. However, going against the court order, the Jharsuguda Collector had directed for the cancellation of the liquor shops license on the April 25th, of this year.
