Chilika MLA Prashant Jagdev’s bail plea rejected, sent to jail

He has been booked under sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act, said Rajanikanth Pattnaik, the Government Advocate at the Khurda court.The MLA had allegedly assaulted Sethi, the local BJP leader, in public when the latter had gone to the office of the Balugaon Notified Area Council NAV and inquired the reason for the delay in distribution of pension among beneficiaries.Jagdev had also allegedly snatched the mobile phone of a journalist present on the spot.

Odisha's MLA from Chilika, Prashant Jagdev was remanded to judicial custody on Friday after his bail petition in connection with an assault case was rejected by the Additional District Judge's Court in Khurda.

After the rejection of his bail plea, Jagdev was taken into judicial custody for 14 days. The lawmaker underwent a health examination before he was sent to jail. The Chilika MLA had been suspended from the ruling BJD after he allegedly attacked BJP's Balugaon Mandal chairman Niranjan Sethi last month.

The lawmaker had surrendered before the Khurda court after his anticipatory bail was rejected by the Orissa High Court on October 5. The High Court had directed him to remain present in the lower court on Friday and had also directed the lower court to hear the bail plea of the accused.

''The ADJ Court examined the papers and evidence of both the parties and subsequently rejected Jagdev's bail application. He has been booked under sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," said Rajanikanth Pattnaik, the Government Advocate at the Khurda court.

The MLA had allegedly assaulted Sethi, the local BJP leader, in public when the latter had gone to the office of the Balugaon Notified Area Council (NAV) and inquired the reason for the delay in distribution of pension among beneficiaries.

Jagdev had also allegedly snatched the mobile phone of a journalist present on the spot. Two police complaints were lodged against Jagdev at Baluagon police station, one by Sethi and another by the journalist, after a video went viral on social media showing the MLA slapping the BJP leader.

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