The Crossbill News Desk
Odisha Police on Saturday (May 26) arrested Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Khurda MLA candidate Prasanta Jagadev for allegedly vandalising an electronic voting machine (EVM), which affected polling during the sixth phase.
According to the police, Jagadev, along with some of his supporters, had gone to a polling booth at Kuanripatna in Begunua assembly constituency while polling was underway and allegedly vandalised the EVM, after an argument with polling officials.
The incident happened at polling booth number 114 in Rajasunakhala near Kaunriapatna within the Bolagarh-Begunia Assembly constituency in Bolagarh.
The arrest of the BJP candidate took place after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lodged an official complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha against Jagadev for his unruly conduct.
According to an Odia news agency, Pragativadi, the BJD submitted a memorandum stating that Jagadev forcibly entered the polling booth, damaged the EVM machine, physically assaulted the Presiding Officer and the Polling agents and subsequently fled the scene.
The memorandum further stated that “Jagadev’s escape was facilitated by Odisha BJP MP candidate for Bhubaneswar, Smt Aparajita Sarangi. She assisted in his getaway by providing her vehicle for his escape towards Khurda. However, the police promptly chased the vehicle, successfully intercepted it, and detained Shri. Prashant Jagadev at Bolagarh police station,” quoted Pragativadi.
Speaking on the incident, the Chief Electoral Officer, Nikunja Bihari Dhal said, “I spoke to the SP about it. He (MLA) has been taken into police custody. Police are waiting for the FIR. Appropriate action will be taken after an FIR is lodged and taking inputs from the sector officer and the presiding officer of the booth. The law will definitely take its own course,” said Dhal reported the Odia news agency.
The memorandums were also submitted to the Central General Election Observer and the Central Police Election Observer detailing the incident and urging immediate arrest of Jagadev.
Prasanta Jagadev is currently the MLA of Chilka assembly segment. Though he won on a BJD ticket in 2019, he was expelled from the party in September 2021, following allegation of beating a BJP worker.
Jagadev joined the BJP in March 2024, ahead of the simultaneous polls.
According to the police, Jagadev, along with some of his supporters, had gone to a polling booth at Kuanripatna in Begunua assembly constituency while polling was underway and allegedly vandalised the EVM, after an argument with polling officials.
The incident happened at polling booth number 114 in Rajasunakhala near Kaunriapatna within the Bolagarh-Begunia Assembly constituency in Bolagarh.
The arrest of the BJP candidate took place after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lodged an official complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha against Jagadev for his unruly conduct.
According to an Odia news agency, Pragativadi, the BJD submitted a memorandum stating that Jagadev forcibly entered the polling booth, damaged the EVM machine, physically assaulted the Presiding Officer and the Polling agents and subsequently fled the scene.
The memorandum further stated that “Jagadev’s escape was facilitated by Odisha BJP MP candidate for Bhubaneswar, Smt Aparajita Sarangi. She assisted in his getaway by providing her vehicle for his escape towards Khurda. However, the police promptly chased the vehicle, successfully intercepted it, and detained Shri. Prashant Jagadev at Bolagarh police station,” quoted Pragativadi.
Speaking on the incident, the Chief Electoral Officer, Nikunja Bihari Dhal said, “I spoke to the SP about it. He (MLA) has been taken into police custody. Police are waiting for the FIR. Appropriate action will be taken after an FIR is lodged and taking inputs from the sector officer and the presiding officer of the booth. The law will definitely take its own course,” said Dhal reported the Odia news agency.
The memorandums were also submitted to the Central General Election Observer and the Central Police Election Observer detailing the incident and urging immediate arrest of Jagadev.
Prasanta Jagadev is currently the MLA of Chilka assembly segment. Though he won on a BJD ticket in 2019, he was expelled from the party in September 2021, following allegation of beating a BJP worker.
Jagadev joined the BJP in March 2024, ahead of the simultaneous polls.
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