TNI Bureau: It was the decision of Naveen Patnaik to bring IPS Prakash Mishra from Centre in 2012 to appoint him as the DGP of Odisha. However, during 2014 elections, Team Naveen could not make him fall in line and he did not fit into their plan. Aware of the developments, Prakash Mishra opted for central deputation. Although his name was cleared first, it was blocked later citing lack of resources. He was shunted to an inconsequential post of OSRTC CMD and his junior Sanjeev Marik replaced him.
Naveen Government’s decision threatened to disturb the relations with newly installed Modi Government at the Centre. Then Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up Naveen Patnaik and almost forced him to release Prakash Mishra to take over as the Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
A few months later, when it was almost certain that Prakash Mishra could be the next CBI Director, the Naveen Government ordered vigilance probe against him to block his elevation. Prakash Mishra was hounded in a ‘fabricated’ Police Housing and Welfare Corporation scam. Both Orissa HC and Supreme Court acquitted him later and strongly indicted the state government for adopting a vindictive approach against him. The courts clearly termed the case as a “political witch-hunting”.
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There was even an instance when former MP Kharabela Swain had filed a complaint against then CM Naveen Patnaik in 2015 for ‘falsely’ implicating Prakash Mishra.
Although Prakash Mishra could not become the CBI Director, he went on to become the CRPF DG and retired in 2016. The case against Prakash Mishra was dropped by the Odisha Government only after his retirement from service. After retirement, Prakash Mishra worked as the Advisor to Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul.
In 2019, Prakash Mishra joined BJP and contested the Lok Sabha polls from Cuttack unsuccessfully. He was not active in politics since then. When everyone chose to write him off, Prakash Mishra returned with a bang as the Advisor of CM Mohan Majhi, who is struggling to have a complete grip on the police system in the state. With his long experience and expertise as a Top Cop, Prakash Mishra is expected to help Mohan in improving the deteriorating law and order in the system and boost the intelligence and security system.
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