Former Jharcraft CEO Renu Gopinath Paniker on Monday joined the Janata Dal (United) in presence of JD (U) Jharkhand president and Rajya Sabha MP Khiru Mahto in Ranchi.

Paniker has been nominated as JD(U) state vice president.

Mahto said that Paniker’s joining will strengthen the party in Jharkhand.?

"Her connection to women's self-help groups and other women's organizations has been good, which will help to bring them to the party fold in the future," he said.

She will play a pivotal role to add women supporters to the party by visiting different districts of the state, Mahto said.

Paniker said, "I joined the JD (U) as it connects to my basic ideology. I wanted to work for the youths of Jharkhand and this party will give me that opportunity."

Paniker has been one of the accused in the blanket procurement scam that allegedly took place during the previous Raghubar Das government.

In July 2020, the Hemant Soren government had asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to initiate preliminary enquiry against the former Jharcraft CEO and a few other officers in connection with the blanket scam.

The scam reportedly took place in 2017-18 when the then Raghubar Das government decided to purchase blankets from Jharcraft.

Paniker, however, denied her involvement in the blanket scam.?

"I have nothing to do with the scam. I am not scared of the probe," she said. "The work of making blankets has been going on since 2016 and I joined Jharcraft in April 2017", she added. Paniker resigned from the post a year later in 2018.?