Bhubaneswar: BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan, who was arrested in a case involving the physical assault of a senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office, was released from jail after getting bail from a local court here on Wednesday.
Pradhan was released from the Jharpada jail here this evening. The BJP leader was welcomed by his supporters when he walked out of the jail. BJP leader and Bhubaneswar (Ekamra) MLA Babu Singh also welcomed him.
Then, his supporters took Pradhan to his office in a procession by bursting firecrackers and beating drums.
Speaking to media persons, Pradhan condemned the incident (assault of OAS officer) and claimed that he was neither directly nor indirectly involved in the assault of the officer, which was “proved today by the court.”
The OAS Association became the victim of a conspiracy of Opposition BJD, which led to his arrest, he claimed.
“The OAS Association should introspect on how they fell into the conspiracy. It is the duty of every officer to ensure smooth functioning of the Mohan Majhi government in the state,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the District and Sessions Court, Khurda granted bail to Pradhan on a security of Rs 30,000. The court has asked the government counsel to produce the telephonic conversation between Pradhan and Ratnakar Sahoo, the victim OAS officer. The court granted bail to Pradhan after the government counsel “failed” to produce evidence of a conversation in the court, said advocate Suresh Kumar Sahoo.
Additional Commissioner of BMC Ratnakar Sahoo was brutally attacked, dragged on the floor of the office, kicked in the face and humiliated by a group of people, allegedly supporters of Pradhan. The viral video of the officer’s assault created statewide outrage, forcing OAS officers to go on strike, demanding the arrest of all the accused persons, including Pradhan, who is accused of masterminding the attack on Sahoo.
On Thursday night, Pradhan surrendered before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar and was arrested and sent to jail. He was produced before the SDJM (Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate’s) Court in Bhubaneswar, which rejected his bail petition and sent him to a 14-day judicial custody.
Pradhan was booked under various sections of BNS, which deal with offences like assault on public servants, obstructing government work, and causing grievous injury.
The BJP leader surrendered before the police as the members of the OAS Association went on a cease-work agitation across the state.
Earlier, police had arrested five persons in connection with the case. While Pradhan was granted bail today, the hearing of the bail petition of the other five accused is scheduled to be held on July 15, the advocate said.
PTI
