BJD corporator arrested in rape case, suspended from party

Bhubaneswar: BJD corporator of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Amaresh Jena, was arrested from Balasore district on Sunday in connection with a rape case lodged against him in the state capital, police said.

Jena, a prominent BJD leader was booked under the BNS Sections 64(2) (rape), 89 (committing miscarriage without woman's permission), 296 (obscene act), and 352 (criminal intimidation), besides Section 6 of the POCSO Act, at the Laxmisagar police station, where the survivor lodged a complaint on Wednesday, the police said.

As Jena was not available at his house and possible locations in the city and remained incommunicado, the police formed a special squad and launched a manhunt for the fugitive BJD leader.

"Finally, he was located at a village under Berhampur police station limit in Nilgiri area in Balasore and apprehended by the special squad," a police officer said, adding that he was being brought to Bhubaneswar.

A senior officer said that Jena was staying in a village in Nilgiri area, which is close to the forest, with the aim of escaping to the jungle if there was any police raid to apprehend him. However, he could not because the operation was carried out very secretly, the officer added.

Immediately after his arrest, the BJD issued an office order stating that: "Amaresh Jena, Corporator, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, is hereby suspended from Biju Janata Dal with immediate effect."

BJD Bhubaneswar president Ashok Panda told reporters on Sunday that Jena's suspension will not affect the party. "No one is indispensable for BJD. It is party first. I reiterate that law will take its own course."

He said the BJD has acted immediately as soon as Jena was arrested by police. "The BJD stands by its pro-women ideology. Jena's arrest will in no way damage BJD. It is a huge party with thousands of workers and leaders. He is an accused and will go through the legal process," Panda said.

On Saturday night, the police arrested five aides of Jena on charges of harbouring him. The police said the five persons provided conveyance and assisted Amresh Jena in evading arrest.

The five arrested individuals hail from various parts of Khurda and Jagatsinghpur districts, and were forwarded to judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected, they said.

A 19-year-old woman in a written complaint at Laxmisagar police station accused the BJD corporator of rape, foeticide, cheating, and criminal intimidation. Jena, while absconding, told a section of the media that he was "innocent" and "framed" by the ruling BJP.

In her complaint, the survivor alleged that the corporator sexually exploited her with the promise of marriage when she was 17 years old. She claims that Jena took her to Puri, engaged in physical relations, and in February 2024, when she was still a minor, forced her to abort a two-month pregnancy by administering pills.

The survivor also alleged that she was threatened and directed not to reveal the matter to anyone.

Police have recorded the statement of the survivor, and she also underwent a medical test.

Bhubaneswar police had this week arrested the state president of NSUI, Udit Pradhan, for allegedly raping an engineering student. He has also been suspended from the party.