SAMBALPUR: After spending nearly 20 hours in the custody of Saraipali police in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district, BJD leader Bishal Das was released from detention at around 6 pm on Friday.
Son of late cabinet minister Naba Kisore Das, Bishal was detained by Chhattisgarh police along with some panchayat samiti members and sarpanchs of Jharsuguda who were reportedly lodged in a hotel in Saraipali ahead of the no-confidence motion vote against Kirmira block chairperson Krishnapriya Sahu on the day.
Sources said the no-confidence motion was brought against Sahu following a recent rift between BJP and BJD samiti members. Ahead of the vote, the samiti members and sarpanchs affiliated to the BJD were taken to Chhattisgarh and lodged in a hotel at Saraipali.
On Thursday evening, Saraipali police first detained around nine PRI members. When Bishal arrived for their release, he too was put under detention. The incident came to light after the BJD leader shared a video message in which the detained PRI members claimed they were being denied their right to vote in the no-confidence motion by Chhattisgarh police.
Bishal’s sister and former Jharsuguda MLA Dipali Das termed the detention unlawful. She said the undemocratic manner in which her brother and the PRI members were detained raised suspicion of a political conspiracy.
Addressing the media earlier in the day, she said, “The act of Chhattisgarh police is a clear attempt to sabotage the democratic system. My brother was detained near the Chhattisgarh border without any clarification. This is an old tactic of the BJP government which misuses police machinery to suppress those who raise voice against it.”
Dipali and local BJD leaders also submitted a memorandum to Jharsuguda ADM Brajabandhu Bhoi in this connection.
Northern range IG Himanshu Lal said Jharsuguda police has no role in this case as the incident has taken place in Chhattisgarh. “There has been some incident in Mahasamund district on which the Chhattisgarh police is taking action as per the law. Though Odisha police is not involved, we will extend cooperation if required,” he added.
Meanwhile, voting for the no-confidence motion against Kirmira block chairperson Sahu, who is reportedly affiliated to the BJP, was cancelled as no PRI member turned up.
Jharsuguda sub-collector Sabyasachi Panda said a meeting for the no-confidence motion voting was scheduled at 10:30 am on the day. The authorised officer present on the spot submitted a report informing that no panchayat samiti member showed up for voting.
“In absence of the minimum majority, the resolution has now been annulled as per the guidelines of the Panchayat Samiti Act. No new resolution can be passed for the next one year,” Panda added.