Case Registered Against Odisha BJD MLA For ‘Misbehaviour’ After HC Intervenes

Keonjhar: Anandapur BJD MLA Bhagirathi Shetty has been booked for allegedly misbehaving and threatening BJP Zilla Parishad member (zone 3) Asima Mishra about five months back.

The Koenjhar police registered a case against the legislator under Sections 294 (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on Sunday after the Orissa High Court issued an order on Asima’s plea.

The incident had taken place on August 30 last year during a meeting of Anandapur panchayat samiti. Asima alleged that the MLA misbehaved with her when she enquired about the progress in some development works and asked her to leave the meeting. She had also lodged a complaint at Anandapur police station but they declined to register a case. She had even approached Keonjhar SP over the issue. “I moved the court when police failed to give justice to a people’s representative. I hope the police will now conduct a proper inquiry into the matter and take action as per the law,” she said.

Anandapur police station IIC Debaki Nayak said that action will be taken after a proper investigation.

Sethy, on the other hand, has denied the allegation.

On Friday, a case was registered against another BJD MLA, Bijaya Shankar Das, under Sections 376 (punishment for rape), 313 (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Cod after HC ordered police to attend to the fresh complaint of his alleged girlfriend Somalika Das.

She had lodged a complaint against him with police on June 18 last year, alleging sexual harassment, betrayal and cheating. A case was then registered against the lawmaker under Sections 154 (1) of CrPC and 420, 185 A, 506 B, 294, 509, 341, 120 B and 34 of IPC and 3, 4, 5, 6 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. She, however, moved the HC since the police did not book the MLA under Section 376 of IPC and failed to arrest him.

On Sunday, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan cited this case among others where the HC had to intervene and said that these clearly indicated that the law enforcement agency was not doing its work.

Also Read: ‘Jagannath Bharasa’: Dharmendra Pradhan Corners Govt Over ‘Lawlessness’ In Odisha