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Why has Odisha BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan been arrested?
Jagannath Pradhan, the BJP leader who lost the 2024 assembly election from Bhubaneswar Central, surrendered before the police at the Bhubaneswar DCP office.
Odisha Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jagannath Pradhan was arrested on Thursday evening in connection with the alleged assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahu.
Pradhan’s arrest comes amid cease-work and intense protests by the Odisha Administrative Service Association and mounting pressure from opposition parties
The BJP leader, who lost the 2024 Odisha assembly election from Bhubaneswar Central, surrendered before the police at the Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police (DCP) office.
“I have come here to cooperate with the investigation. If my arrest can resolve the issue, I am ready to cooperate,” he said before the arrest.
Jagannath Pradhan denied any involvement in the alleged assault of the BMC additional commissioner incident: “I have no connection with the attack on the BMC additional commissioner. This is a conspiracy to malign my party and our government.”
The BJP leader has been charged with assault and criminal conspiracy.
The Rantakar Sahu assault case, in which Jagannath Pradhan has been arrested
The alleged assault of BMC additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahu occurred on Monday at the BMC office.
Sahu, a senior OAS officer, was dragged from his chamber, kicked, and assaulted by a group of individuals, some allegedly linked to Jagannath Pradhan. Videos of the attack went viral on social media, showing the officer being assaulted in full public view, prompting condemnation from across the political spectrum.
Apart from Pradhan, BJP corporator Aparaup Narayan Rout, Sanjeev Mishra, Sachikanta Swain, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debasish Pradhan have been arrested over the attack.
The Odisha Administrative Services Association had demanded Pradhan’s arrest, calling him the “prime accused” and “kingpin” behind the attack. The association issued a three-day ultimatum to the state government for his arrest. The officers also went on a cease-work strike beginning Tuesday.
The incident has also fuelled a political slugfest, with the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress accusing the BJP of attempting to “saffronise” the bureaucracy. BJP MP Pradip Purohit countered, alleging that the OAS protest was orchestrated by the BJD to destabilise the Mohan Majhi government.
