Baripda: Baripada MLA Prakash Soren was arrested following a complaint that he along with his supporters had beaten Ganapati Jena, the executive engineer of the ITDA.
Police registered a case on the basis of an FIR and called the MLA to the police station to inquire about the incident. He was arrested and produced at SDJM court.
He was granted conditional bail.
Terming the incident as a conspiracy against the MLA, BJP workers staged an agitation in front of the police station, blocking a road Friday. The complaint said that the MLA had called the executive engineer to the local circuit house Thursday to ask him about an alleged delay in clearing the bill of a contractor.
Due to his preoccupation, the executive engineer reached the circuit house at 7.30 pm. Thereafter, both of them got into heated arguments. Riled by this, the MLA had allegedly physically attacked him. Then, Soren asked his supporters to beat him up. Then, some of his supporters beat him with bamboo sticks, the complaint said.
The executive engineer apprised the issue to the Collector, the SP and the PD before filing a complaint against the MLA. The MLA, however, denounced the allegation, saying he had reprimanded the engineer for delaying the utilisation of MLALAD fund and poor execution of works. “This is baseless and politically motivated against me,” the MLA added.
PNN
