HC Breather For BJP MLA-Elect Prashant Jagdev In EVM Toppling Case

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday granted regular bail to BJP leader and Khurda MLA-elect Prashant Jagdev in connection with the EVM vandalising case.

“Justice Satikanta Mishra noted that the allegations are omnibus and general in nature and there is no prima facie case,” Jagdev’s advocate Pitambar Acharya told the media.

He further said that the case was politically motivated. “My client went with his wife to the booth to vote and became a victim of the well-planned conspiracy by BJD leaders. Jagdev did not break the EVM and even the Presiding Officer was not in favour of filing an FIR. But he was pressurised by a few senior police officials to do so,” he said.

The newly-elected MLA from Khurda was arrested on May 26 for allegedly toppling an EVM and manhandling two polling personnel in booth no 114 of Kaunripatana under Bolagarh block under Bengunia Assembly constituency while polling was on during the third-round elections on May 25. He was charged under Sections 131, 132, 135, 136 of Representation of People’s Act and Sections 294 (use of abusive, humiliating or defamative words), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 354 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“We have put the CCTV footage in the public domain for all to see that the allegations are false and BJD plotted against him jealous of his public image. Even the identity of the woman he allegedly misbehaved with was not mentioned in the FIR,” Acharya alleged.

Jagdev was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital on May 30 after he complained of chest pain while being lodged in Khurda Jail. He was discharged on June 9, coinciding with the beginning of his 3-day intern bail.