By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: The recent controversy surrounding Chandan Mallik, a BJD worker from Balasore, has exposed how an innocent individual can be falsely implicated in Odisha’s Police SI recruitment scam. For days, certain media outlets and political narratives linked him to the scam, portraying him as the so-called “No. 6 broker” responsible for irregularities.
This portrayal has sparked widespread discussion across the state. Alleged photographs showing Chandan with senior BJD leader Booby Das were circulated to suggest a political link between the BJD and the scam, further fueling the misinformation.
However, in a recent press conference, Chandan Mallik clarified that he has no connection with the Police SI recruitment syndicate. He emphasised that all reports labelling him as a “No. 6 broker” were false and intended to tarnish his and his family’s reputation. Chandan made it clear that the circulated stories were deliberate misinformation, linking him to the syndicate without any factual basis.
The controversy also highlighted how certain BJP leaders and ministers were allegedly using the scam to create political narratives against the BJD. Photographs of the chief kingpin, Shankar Prusti, with Chief Minister Mohan Majhi were used to suggest party involvement, but Chandan stressed that these claims were entirely unfounded.
Chandan’s statement has opened the public debate on how innocent citizens can be defamed in political and media discourses. He demanded justice and correction of false narratives, calling on authorities and the media to acknowledge the truth and restore his reputation.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of misinformation and political manipulation, especially when it involves ordinary citizens caught in high-profile controversies.
