Bhubaneswar/Boudh: A court in Odisha’s Boudh district has reportedly issued a warrant of arrest against sitting BJP MLA Saroj Kumar Pradhan for “failing to appear in a case alleging incorrect disclosures in his 2024 election affidavit.”
Chief Judicial Magistrate, Boudh, posted the matter to October 15 for production of Pradhan.
The court had reportedly taken cognisance of the alleged offences against Pradhan February 2 under Section 125(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, read with Sections 318(1) and 336(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Pradhan challenged the cognisance order before the Orissa High Court, which April 20 directed the trial court to defer the proceedings for 12 weeks. The period expired September 7, according to reports.
Rejecting the fresh adjournment plea, the trial court noted that Pradhan had neither appeared nor produced any subsequent High Court order extending the interim relief, despite repeated opportunities.
The case was instituted by former Odisha Assembly Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat, who alleged that Pradhan had furnished incorrect information in his affidavit submitted for the 2024 Assembly election.
Section 125(A) of the Representation of the People Act deals with false declarations or concealment of information in election affidavits.
UNI