EVM Ransacking: HC Grants Anticipatory Bail To BJP Candidate Om Prakash Mishra

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court (HC) on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Om Prakash Mishra, the BJP candidate from Satyabadi Assembly seat, in connection with alleged damage to EVM in a booth at Birakishorepur village during the third phase of polls on April 23.

Senior High Court lawyer and state BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya told mediapersons about this.

According to reports, a complaint was lodged against Mishra for allegedly vandalising an EVM and thrashing the presiding officer in booth no 78 at Balabhadra Nodal Up School in Birakishorepur village under Satyabadi police limits of Puri district on April 23.

As Mishra went underground following the incident, the police issued a lookout notice on April 25 after failing to trace his whereabouts.

However, a day after the lookout notice, Mishra released a video message seeking an impartial probe into the incident. He said he had no role in the vandalisation and that he has been framed by the police at the ruling BJD’s behest.

He claimed that he rushed to the polling station after being told that BJP polling agents were not being allowed inside the booths by some criminals who had cast votes illegally for others.