Somalika Dash Gets Summon On Objection To Odisha MLA Bijay Shankar Das’ Marriage

Cuttack: The office of district sub-registrar, Cuttack, has summoned Somalika Dash, the former fiancée of Tirtol MLA Bijay Shankar Das, on November 7 to furnish documentary evidence proving her allegations against the legislator.

She has been asked to appear at 3:30 pm and also to bring along any witnesses who can corroborate her allegations. The MLA and his bride-to-be Pratyusha Nanda, a resident of Arunodaya Market area in Cuttack, have also been issued notice, sources said.

On October 7, Somalika submitted an objection against the BJD MLA for applying for marriage registration with Pratyusha in the office of DSR after allegedly skipping his previous commitment to marry the former. In her written complaint, she cited past instances of betrayal and sexual harassment. “The marriage application is now in one month objection period,” district sub-registrar (DSR) Cuttack, Gopabandhu Parida, had then said.

Somalika had also lodged an FIR against the legislator in Jagatsinghpur police station on the same day, demanding justice in light of the pending case against him.  “I am seeking justice for the harassment I endured. Despite the registration of two cases earlier, Das has not been summoned by the police nor called in for questioning,” she alleged.

She had brought a series of allegations, including rape, against the MLA after he did not turn up for their wedding at the sub-registrar office in Jagatsinghpur on June 17, 2022.

The very next day, she lodged a complaint with police, alleging sexual harassment, betrayal and cheating by the legislator. Basing on her FIR, police registered a case 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.

Somalika then moved the Orissa High Court as police did not book the MLA under Section 376 of IPC and failed to arrest him. A fresh case was registered against the Tirtol MLA in February this year after the HC directed Dash to approach the IIC of Jagatsinghpur police station with a fresh complaint and a copy of its order.