NUAPADA: A criminal case has been registered against BJD heavyweight Pranab Prakash Das and party’s Khariar MLA Adhiraj Panigrahy on charges of assaulting a youth, ahead of the Nuapada bypoll.
The case against the two leaders was registered at Komna police station in the district on Friday, following allegations of assault and criminal intimidation.
According to complainant Jitu Adbong, a 32-year-old resident of Paikpada from Komna, he was allegedly abused, manhandled and threatened by Das and Panigrahy at the farmhouse of BJD district general secretary Manoj Mishra. Jitu alleged that the two leaders called him to the farmhouse where Das, a former minister and vice-president of the regional party, confronted him over his recent association with the BJP despite previously campaigning for the BJD.
In his complaint, he stated that Das hurled filthy abuses at him, grabbed him by the collar and assaulted him while threatening to kill him and his family. When he protested, both Das and Panigrahy allegedly pressed his neck and landed fist blows on his face. They threatened him and his family with dire consequences, Jitu mentioned in his complaint.
Based on his report, Komna Police registered a case under sections 126(2), 296, 115(2), 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and began an investigation into the incident.
A day before Jitu’s complaint, a case was filed against him for allegedly misbehaving with a BJD worker Binod Duria at the party office. Komna IIC Rasmita Pradhan informed that Duria had submitted a written complaint on Thursday charging Jitu with using abusive language and creating a ruckus at the party office.
Nuapada SDPO Khireswar Sahu confirmed both the complaints and said investigation into both is underway. Das and Panigrahy were not immediately available for comments.
BJP demands arrest of Pranab, Adhiraj
A delegation of the BJP led by state vice-president Jatin Mohanty met chief electoral officer RS Gopalan and submitted a memorandum demanding arrest of Das and Panigrahy for the assault. The BJP said that immediate arrest of the two BJD leaders is necessary for conduct of a smooth and fair election in Nuapada as they have threatened to kill Jitu for supporting BJP. Since the Nuapada police have not taken any action despite filing an FIR, the party has had no choice but to approach the CEO, Mohanty said.
