Assault on OAS officer: BJP leader gets rousing welcome after release from jail

Bhubaneswar, July 9 (IANS) Senior BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan on Wednesday received rousing welcome following his release from Jharpada jail on bail after spending seven days in judicial custody in connection with the assault on senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo on June 30.

The Khurda District and Sessions Court granted bail to Pradhan in connection with Case No. 280/25 registered at Kharavel Nagar Police Station. The bail was sanctioned on a surety of Rs 30,000 and one guarantor.

Following his release, thousands of enthusiastic supporters gathered outside the jail and accompanied him in a rally at the BJP headquarters. Supporters raised slogans in favour of Pradhan, turning the event into a massive political show of strength.

BJP MLA Babu Singh and several senior party leaders joined the rally, underlining the party's firm support for Pradhan amid the ongoing controversy.

“Calling himself a disciplined worker of the party, Pradhan said, “the unfortunate incident that took place on June 30, I had strongly condemned it earlier and am condemning now as well. I also never patronage such acts. I have no direct or indirect involvement in the incident, which was proven today. I thank the judiciary and my party leaders.”

He said that the opposition party hatched a conspiracy to frame him, and the OAS association fell into their trap.

On June 30, when the public grievance meeting was in progress in the presence of other officers, staff and general people at the BMC office, six to seven unknown individuals entered the premises unauthorisedly and assaulted Sahoo, a senior OAS officer, after allegedly enquiring whether he had a conversation with BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan over the phone.

The Odisha Administrative Service Association (OASA) immediately condemned the incident and went on mass leave, demanding the arrest of all the persons involved in the incident, including Pradhan.

Pradhan was arrested by the Commissionerate police after his surrender at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar, on July 3.

--IANS

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