The Mohan Charan Majhi government will launch a probe into the helicopter rides of V.K. Pandian, the private secretary to former chief minister Naveen Patnaik and the most powerful IAS officer of Odisha. The probe will determine whether the state funds were used for his chopper trips.

Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said: “There must be clarity about who bears Pandian’s chopper expenses. Additionally, wherever he travelled, the then government ordered the construction of helipads using government funds.”

Issuing a warning that action will be initiated against people for misusing the state exchequer, the law minister said: “An investigation will also be initiated to find out who authorised and how permission was given for the use of choppers by a department secretary as there is no such provision for its use. A department secretary cannot use the chopper unless there is an emergency. But it needs government approval.”

State commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said: “People had raised concern about Pandian’s frequent use of chopper to tour different parts of the state from 2020 till the beginning of the election when the model of conduct came into force.”

RTI information revealed that crores of rupees were spent on Pandian’s chopper rides and helipad constructions. One RTI inquiry disclosed that ₹50.50 lakh were spent on helipad construction, barricades and meetings in Sambalpur between 2023 and 2024.