Khurda: Khurda Additional District Judge Court -1 (ADJ) on Friday rejected the bail petition of suspended Chilika legislator Prashant Jagadev in connection with a case of assault on BJP Mandal chairman Niranjan Sethi and sent him to jail. However, the accused complained of ill-health immediately on the court premises and he was rushed to Khurda district hospital.
Jagadev had surrendered before the Khurda court on the direction of Orissa High Court earlier in the day. He was accused of attacking Balugaon Mandal Bharatiya Janata Party president Niranjan Sethi for which several party workers had staged a dharna in front of Balugaon police station.
The police had filed a case against Jagadev on the basis of a complaint filed by Sethi under SC & ST Atrocities Act. The Biju Janata Dal MLA was suspended from the party in the wake of the complaint.
Jagadev, in a bid to evade arrest, sought anticipatory bail from the Orissa High Court, but the court directed him to seek bail in the appropriate lower court. Jagadev was accused of similar rash behaviour from several quarters and the Chief Minister had taken him to task.
According to sources, Jagadev who attended a programme as a guest at Balugaon NAC office on September 8 did not reach the programme on time and the BJP leader sought to know from NAC executive officer the reasons for the delay when the legislator reached the spot and attacked Sethi after using invectives humiliating his caste.
