Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police arrested BJP MLA Subhas Chandra Panigrahi from his official residence on Sunday, for allegedly assaulting a block development officer in Deogarh district. Along with Panigrahi, his two aides identified as Akalu Dhal and Kumarmani Sahoo, were also arrested over allegations of launching a murderous attack on Tileibani BDO Krushnachandra Dalapati at Bhaliaguda village on Saturday.
Dalapati had lodged an FIR at Deogarh police station, claiming that the legislator and his aides attacked him near the BDO office, after the MLA could not find him there, as he was busy with some official work. According to the complaint, the BDO suffered injuries on his face and other parts of the body after he was beaten and kicked by the MLA and his associates.
Panigrahi also lodged a counter FIR against the BDO at the same police station, alleging that Dalapati misbehaved with him. Deogarh SP Raj Kishore Paikray said police have registered two cases on the basis of complaints filed by the MLA and the BDO, and launched an investigation.
Odisha BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra condemned the police action and said it was ‘pre-planned’. ‘The MLA was the first to lodge an FIR, alleging that the BDO caught hold of his collar and misbehaved with him in full public view. The police did not take any action against Dalapati’, Mohapatra said. Meanwhile, the ruling BJD said law should take its own course. ‘It is not proper to assault a government servant on duty. The police have taken the right decision’, party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.
This is not the first instance of an MLA’s arrest in Odisha this year. Ruling BJD MLA from Balugaon Prashant Jagdev was sent to jail in March after his car ran over a crowd during the panchayat polls, injuring many. In January, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu was also accused of assaulting District Planning Board Deputy Director Ashwini Mallik and Assistant Director Debashis Mohapatra in his office in Mayurbhanj district.
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