Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday suspended corporator from ward no- 45 in Bhubaneswar, Amaresh Jena, from the party following his arrest in an alleged rape case.
As per an official office order signed by BJD vice president (headquarters) Pratap Jena, the suspension takes effect immediately.
Jena, who had been absconding since a rape case was registered against him on July 23, was apprehended from a house in Kalakada under Nilagiri block in Balasore district.
“Allegations were brought against Amaresh Jena, two days back. Subsequently, he has been arrested. Today, after being arrested, he has been suspended from the party. Our party, BJD and our leader, Naveen Patnaik, have always exhibited zero tolerance towards any form of violence against women…Naveen Patnaik has made an attempt to ensure that every woman gets a hassle-free atmosphere to express herself to the best. And that is the reason when there was an allegation the corporator, it was taken very seriously…,” said BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty.
The arrest came a day after five aides of the corporator were arrested for allegedly aiding his escape. The state government had also ‘terminated’ the appointment of Amaresh’s elder brother, Samaresh Jena, as Additional Standing Counsel in the office of the Advocate General on Saturday.
THE RAPE SLUR
A 19-year-old woman had filed a complaint at Laxmisagar police station, accusing Jena of sexually exploiting her since September 2023, when she was still a minor, on the pretext of marriage. The survivor further alleged that the corporator coerced her into aborting a two-month pregnancy in February 2024, promising that he would marry her after getting a divorce from his wife. He, however, began avoiding her from April this year and also threatened to kill her unless she left the city.
While Jena refuted the allegations, the girl had threatened self-immolation if no action was taken on her complaint.
The BJD corporator has been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including repeated rape, forced miscarriage, public obscenity, and criminal intimidation. He also faces charges under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for aggravated sexual assault of a minor.