BHUBANESWAR: In a major embarrassment for the BJD, police on Sunday arrested party’s Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) corporator Amaresh Jena for allegedly raping a minor girl.
The corporator from ward no-43 in the capital city was arrested from Nilagiri in Balasore district. He had been absconding since Wednesday after the minor girl lodged a complaint at the Laxmisagar police station here. She alleged that the corporator had raped her on the promise of marriage.
On Saturday, police arrested five persons for helping him abscond. Meanwhile, after his arrest, the BJD suspended Jena from the party with immediate effect. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said that party president Naveen Patnaik has zero tolerance towards any form of crime against women. Jena was immediately suspended after his arrest, he said.
The girl issued a video message on Saturday evening threatening that she would resort to self-immolation like the girl student of FM (Autonomous) College, Balasore, if the police did not take any action against him. “There is no one with me today. But people will have to take out a candle march tomorrow if my fate would become like that of the FM College student,” she said.
“Police are threatening to file a case against my family, if I do not enter a compromise. I have been cooperating in the investigation but do not see any hope of getting justice,” the girl stated, and appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure that she gets justice.
The victim had also recorded her statement in a court here on Saturday. In the complaint, the victim alleged that she came in contact with Jena in 2023 when she was 17 years old had been in a relationship. She alleged that he had impregnated her and had to carry out abortion after he threatened her. She said in May this year, Jena also asked her to leave Bhubaneswar city.
On receiving the complaint earlier in the week, police had registered a case against Jena under various sections of BNS and POCSO Act.
On July 20, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI’s) Odisha unit president Udit Pradhan was arrested for allegedly raping a 19-year-old girl student after spiking her drinks with sedatives. He has also been suspended from the outfit by the Congress.