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NEW DELHI: In a huge setback to senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected his anticipatory bail plea in connection with the case of slapping a female police officer during a protest in 2023.
Mishra, the then leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, had been accused of assaulting the police officer Anita Pradhan during a protest outside Sambalpur collectorate.
A two-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice SVN Bhatti rejected the plea of Mishra leaving him open for arrest anytime. The bench observed, “Those in leadership positions have to set an example for public behaviour.”
Earlier on February 1 this year, the apex court had granted him interim protection from arrest. Senior lawyer and former additional solicitor general (ASG) Maninder Singh appeared for Mishra. The BJP leader, in his defence, claimed that the previous BJD government had registered a false case against him.
As per the victim and also the complainant in the case, inspector in-charge of Dhanupali police station Pradhan, Mishra had assaulted her after accusing her of taking bribes, during a BJP protest in Sambalpur on February 15 last year. Mishra, however, denied the charge and claimed that rather, Pradhan, had pushed him.
Initially, the Orissa High Court had rejected the petition of Mishra seeking interim relief of anticipatory bail in the case, prompting him to knock the doors of the Supreme Court for relief. Singh had earlier told the court that his client is an MLA and the LOP (leader of Opposition) in the state Assembly, and he was not even summoned in the case.
Mishra should be arrested, demands BJD
The state high court should have considered all these things in the case and granted relief to him, he had said.
Along with Singh, advocate Sarthak Nayak also appeared for Mishra in the case before the Supreme Court.
Soon after the verdict, the BJD demanded immediate arrest of Mishra. “The SC in its judgement has expressed unhappiness over the behaviour of Mishra by stating that those in leadership position should create example by their behaviour,” BJD Rajya sabha MP Sulata Deo said.
Deo said the BJD demands immediate arrest of Mishra as the Supreme Court has also lifted the interim protection given to him.