By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 10, 2016: In a major blow to Odisha Olympic Association (OAA) general secretary Asirbad Behera, the Supreme Court on Wednesday in an interim order directed Mr Behera to stay away from his post till April 13, the date for the next hearing in the OOA land grab case.

The SC in its order also directed the joint secretary of OOA to take charge of the general secretary’s post till the next hearing.

Mr Behera, who was heading the OOA for 27 years, in his reactions on the apex court’s ruling said he accepted the interim order of the apex court and stay away from his post till April 1.

“Since today is a holiday, I have handed over charge to OAA joint secretary Rabindra Parida to run the day to day affairs of the sports body. The next hearing in the case has been fixed for April 13. I will obey whatever order is passed by the court,” Mr Behera said.

On May 7 2015, the Supreme Court had ordered formation of a judges’ committee to investigate and find out whether the Barabati Palace (Kalyan Mandap) and adjoining 23 shops were built on encroached land or on property owned by the OOA.

The court had also directed the Odisha Accountant General (AG) to submit a report on the financial transactions of Barabati Palace and other business establishments adjacent to it allegedly built on land encroached by OOA.

According to the apex court’s directives, a committee headed by the district judge, Cuttack with two more additional judges nominated by the Chief Justice of Odisha High Court as its members, was asked to conduct an on-the-spot inquiry.

The Committee had submitted its report to the apex court on September 30 last year.