BJD corporator Amaresh Jena was arrested from Balasore on Sunday in reference to a rape case filed by a 19-year-old girl in Bhubaneswar. The girl alleged Jena exploited her sexually since she was 17, compelled an abortion, and threatened her.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Company (BMC) corporator and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Amaresh Jena was arrested from Balasore district on Sunday in reference to a rape case lodged in opposition to him within the state capital, police mentioned. Jena was booked underneath a number of sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), together with 64(2) (rape), 89 (inflicting miscarriage and not using a girl’s consent), 296 (obscene acts), and 352 (prison intimidation), in addition to Part 6 of the Safety of Kids from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The grievance was filed at Laxmisagar police station on Wednesday by a 19-year-old girl.
In response to the police, Jena had been absconding and remained untraceable at his residence and different recognized areas in Bhubaneswar. A particular squad was shaped to trace him down. He was ultimately positioned in a village underneath the Berhampur police station limits in Nilgiri space of Balasore, and brought into custody. Officers mentioned Jena had been hiding close to a forest and was making ready to flee into the jungle within the occasion of a police raid, however the arrest operation was performed discreetly.
Following his arrest, the BJD suspended Jena from the social gathering with speedy impact. “Amaresh Jena, Corporator, Bhubaneswar Municipal Company, is hereby suspended from Biju Janata Dal with speedy impact,” an official assertion from the social gathering mentioned.
BJD’s Bhubaneswar president Ashok Panda mentioned Jena’s arrest wouldn’t influence the social gathering. “Nobody is indispensable for the BJD. It’s all the time social gathering first. We now have acted swiftly after the arrest. The legislation will take its personal course,” he instructed reporters, including that the social gathering stands by its pro-women stance.
Lady alleges sexual exploitation on false pretext
The complainant alleged that Jena had been sexually exploiting her since she was 17, underneath the false promise of marriage. She mentioned he took her to Puri and established a bodily relationship. In February 2024, when she was nonetheless a minor, he allegedly compelled her to terminate a two-month being pregnant by giving her abortion tablets. She additionally accused him of threatening her to remain silent.
The police mentioned her assertion has been recorded, and a medical examination has been performed.
5 of Jena’s aides additionally arrested
On Saturday evening, police additionally arrested 5 of Jena’s aides for allegedly serving to him evade arrest. The boys, from Khurda and Jagatsinghpur districts, have been accused of offering transportation and shelter. They’ve been remanded to judicial custody after their bail pleas have been rejected.
Whereas on the run, Jena had claimed in a media interplay that he was “harmless” and “framed” by the ruling BJP.
This case comes days after the arrest of NSUI state president Udit Pradhan on related expenses. He was accused of raping an engineering scholar and has additionally been suspended from the organisation.