Bhubaneswar (PTI): Rejecting the Orissa government's announcement of a vigilance inquiry into alleged corruption in World Bank supported Orissa Health System Development Project (OHSDP), the Congress on Sunday demanded resignation of chief minister Naveen Patnaik and a CBI probe into the matter.

"We demand resgination of Naveen Patnaik because he was in-charge of the health ministry from 2001 to 2002 when Debi Prasad Mishra was the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare", Orissa Pradesh Congress Commitee (OPCC) President Jayadev Jena said.

Jena expressed surprise as to how the vigilance could probe into the matter when the chief minister, also in-charge of the home department, had been an accused.

"Naveen is also an accused in the health scam as he has been one of the ten health ministers during the period when corruption took place", he said.

The main Opposition party's demand came a day after Sharad Pawer's NCP made a similar demand.

Jena also accused Patnaik of attemping to shield Finance minister Prafulla Ghadei, who held health portfolio between 2002 and 2004, by ordering a vigilance probe.

Describing the alleged bribery as "shameful" for the state, the Congress leader said that bribe of Rs. 5 lakhs to a minister for sanctioning a bill of Rs 25 lakhs under the OHSDP was only a tip of the iceberg.

"A lot of money from the total project cost of Rs 415 crore had been embezzled by ministers and officials", he alleged seeking an investigation by the CBI.

Claiming that fake medicine trade also increased during Patnaik's regime, Jena said asking the vigilance wing to probe the matter was to mislead the people.