Odisha BJP MLA arrested for ‘assaulting’ BDO

According to the complaint registered by Dalapati, he was in Chheplipali gram panchayat area on an official visit. The MLA arrived at the Gram Panchayat, along with his associates and attacked him, according to Dalapati’s complaint.The MLA also verbally abused him and used casteist slurs.

According to police sources, the two were expected to meet for an official meeting on Saturday, but the schedule could not be finalised due to the BDO’s site visit planned for Sunday, which irked the MLA.

“The MLA was arrested from his official residence (in Bhubaneswar) and brought to Deogarh. The cross complaint is being investigated,” said Deogarh additional SP, Ankur Mallik.

Panigrahi has been booked under charges of assault and under relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Panigrahi has denied the allegations. “It is a baseless allegation. An argument had taken place with the BDO at Chheplipali village. The BDO misbehaved with me and even threatened to kill me…,” the MLA told the reporters.

Panigrahi, in his complaint, has alleged that the BDO kept dodging his repeated requests to fix a meeting to discuss various issues in his block. When they met at Chheplipali Gram Panchayat on Saturday and Panigrahi questioned the BDO over his behaviour, the latter allegedly assaulted him.
Meanwhile, BJP MLAs and party functionaries on Sunday protested against the arrest calling it undemocratic.

“The arrest was pre-planned and an abuse of law,” BJP state general secretary Golak Mohapatra said.

Responding to the statements issued by the BJP and the incident, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said that action is being taken as per law and the BJP must refrain from falsehood and let law take its course.