A BJP MLA and two of his supporters were arrested by Odisha police on Sunday for allegedly thrashing a block development officer (BDO) in Odisha.
Police arrested MLA Subhash Chandra Panigrahi, who represents the Deogarh constituency of western Odisha, from his residency at MLA colony in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Two of his supporters were also apprehended by the police.
The MLA and his supporters were taken into custody on the basis of an FIR lodged by Tileibani BDO Krushna Chandra Dalapati, who was allegedly beaten up by Panigrahi.
Tileibani block comes under Deograh district and is also a part of Deogarh constituency.
The BDO told The Telegraph: “I had gone on a field visit to inspect the progress of work on the construction of a road near Bhaliagudia village in my block on Saturday. The villagers had opposed the road construction. A PIL was filed on the issue in the high court. Being the BDO, I need to give paragraph wise comments on the issue raised in the PIL. Besides, I had to visit a few other areas to inspect other works. When I was in the area, the MLA called me from a mobile phone that belongs to one of his supporters and asked me to meet him immediately at his house. He called me from near the Tileibani block office.”
Krushna Chandra Dalapati. File photo
Dalapati said: “I politely told him that I would only be able to meet him after the official inspection work is over. But he came along with his supporters from the block to the village, where I was inspecting the road work. After reaching here, he suddenly picked up a quarrel and beat me up. Blood oozed from my mouth.”
Later the BDO took up the issue with the collector and was advised to file an FIR at Deogarh police station and a case was lodged under section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 294 (utter obscene song in public place), 353 (assault to deter public servant discharging duty), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 307 (attempt to murder), and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC and under different sections of the Scheduled Castes and The Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act).
The MLA has also lodged a counter FIR stating that the government official had misbehaved with him.
MLA Panigrahi said: “The BDO has fabricated a story against me. There was an argument with the BDO. He misbehaved with me in front of my supporters. Later I lodged an FIR. But the BDO filed a case three hours to four hours after I filed the FIR.”
State BJP general secretary Golak Chandra Mohapatra said: “Why no action has so far been taken against the BDO based on the FIR lodged by the MLA. It was the MLA who first lodged the FIR but the police did not act. It was humiliating for a public representative.”
On the other hand, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) spokesperson Lelin Mohanty said: “In a democratic system, there is always a scope for debate. But one cannot beat up an official on duty. The police have taken action as per the law. Earlier, Union minister Bishweswar Tudu had also beaten up government officials in Mayurbhanj district. BJP leaders should stop beating government officials and allow them to do their job.”
Liquor raid
Muzaffarpur: Police on Sunday claimed to have cracked down on illicit liquor trade, which was being run from the premises of the largest government healthcare facility in north Bihar.
Raid conducted on Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur district led to the recovery of 51 litres of liquor, an officer said. PTI
