OCA Election: Ashirbad’s son Sanjay Behera elected Secretary

(Reporters Today, Bhubaneswar): Sanjay Behera, former Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) secretary Ashirbad Behera, was today elected as the Secretary of the cricketing body.

 He got 45 votes out of 73 while his nearest rival Naba Patnaik could poll only 25 votes. A few days back, Ashirbad Behera was arrested ahead of the crucial OCA elections in connection with his alleged links in Artha Tatwa (AT) chit fund scam. On the other hand, Bikash Pradhan was elected as Treasurer, Mehtab Khan as Joint Secretary, Akshaya Kumar Samant as Vice President and Pankaj Lochan Mohanty as President.

“My victory has given a befitting reply to those who conspired to send my father to jail.  I will work for the development of cricket in the State. Efforts will be made for further development of the Barabati Stadium, which was partially damaged during cyclone FANI,” he said while speaking to the media persons here.

Behera further stated that his top priority would be to revive the OCA which had been lying defunct for the past couple of years. Worth mentioning, on September 19 the CBI had arrested Ashirbad Behera over his alleged complicity in the Artha Tatwa Group chit fund scam. Sanjay had termed it as a conspiracy against his father prior to the conduct of OCA elections.