Supreme Court Denies Bail to BJP Leader in Assault Case

The Supreme Court dismissed BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra's anticipatory bail plea in connection with a 2022 protest incident where he allegedly assaulted a female police officer. Mishra claims the accusations are politically motivated, orchestrated by the previous BJD government to tarnish his reputation.

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an anticipatory bail plea from Odisha MLA and BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra, accused of assaulting a female police officer during a 2022 protest outside Sambalpur Collectorate.

The court, led by Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti, emphasized the responsibility of leaders to exemplify public behavior. Mishra, represented by senior lawyer Maninder Singh, maintained that the allegations were politically driven by the previous BJD government.

The assault allegedly took place during a BJP sit-in protest against which Mishra denies wrongdoing. Ahead of a video-recorded incident, Mishra approached the Supreme Court after the Orissa High Court denied his bail, claiming the charges are baseless and intended to damage his reputation.

(With inputs from agencies.)