Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak today resigned in the wake of death of 23 individuals in a hospital fire mishap, while opposition parties asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to go with the same pattern on moral grounds.

“Mr Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has sent me his letter of resignation. He has resigned on moral grounds. I have acknowledged it and sent it to the Governor,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told columnists here.

The minister, who was likewise holding Information and Public Relations department, put in his papers as police started grilling of the nabbed SUM empire’s trustee Manoj Ranjan Nayak.

Manoj Nayak was arrested and sent to jail yesterday. He was taken by police on a two-day remand today.

Sources said the minister’s resignation came barely a few hours after police began grilling Manoj Ranjan Nayak.