Odisha Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena to Investigate Helicopter Use by VK Pandian

Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena announced on Sunday that the state government will take action against the extensive use of helicopters by former bureaucrat VK Pandian. Jena questioned the necessity of such expenses for listening to public grievances, noting that former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik managed without such costs.

Earlier, on August 12, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan stated that the state government is investigating the matter. He emphasized the need for clarity on who was funding the helicopter expenses and the construction of helipads using government funds. Harichandan also mentioned that a probe would be initiated to determine how permission was granted for the use of helicopters by a department secretary, as there is no such provision.

VK Pandian, an IAS officer of the 2000 batch, announced his retirement from active politics in July following the party’s defeat in the Odisha assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He had served as a private secretary to Naveen Patnaik for over two decades and joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in 2023 after taking voluntary retirement from the bureaucracy. In a self-made video, Pandian stated that his intent in joining politics was to assist Naveen Patnaik, but he acknowledged his shortcomings in countering political narratives effectively.

The Biju Janata Dal suffered a defeat in the Odisha assembly polls, ending Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year reign. The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 78 seats in the 147-seat assembly, while the BJD secured 51 seats, and the Indian National Congress secured 14 seats.