Kendrapara: The Kendrapara SDJM Court on Friday granted bail to Suryakant Ojha, younger brother of Tikhiri Sarpanch Chameli Ojha, in connection with the controversial incident at the Mahakalapada Block office earlier this month.
Suryakant was arrested by Mahakalapada police on June 11 on charges of recording a video inside the chamber of the Block Development Officer (BDO). Advocate Rabinarayan Mohanty confirmed that the court had allowed his client’s bail petition.
The controversy dates back to June 11, when Chameli Ojha visited the Mahakalapada Block office to meet the BDO and seek clarification over the alleged delay in clearance of bills related to various development works completed in her panchayat. During the discussion, Suryakant was reportedly recording the conversation on his mobile phone.
The recording was objected to by the BDO and BJP workers present at the office, who allegedly attempted to seize the mobile phone. Following the incident, police arrived at the spot and took Chameli and Suryakant to the police station.
Subsequently, Chameli lodged a complaint against the police and the BDO, while the BDO filed a counter-complaint. Acting on the complaint lodged by the BDO, police arrested Chameli and her brother.
Chameli Ojha has already secured bail in the case earlier this week. After spending several days undergoing treatment at a hospital, she was discharged on Thursday and returned home.
Meanwhile, Chameli has announced a protest programme under the banner of the District Sarpanch Association. She is scheduled to stage a dharna in front of the Kendrapara Collector’s office on June 20 and has submitted representations to the Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General (IG) seeking justice.
She has further warned that if no action is taken within seven days, a larger demonstration will be organised in front of the Kendrapara Superintendent of Police’s office on July 4.
In a related development, Mahakalapada police on Friday arrested another person, Himanshu Pradhan, in connection with allegations that Chameli was misbehaved with inside the BDO’s chamber during the June 11 incident. Earlier, another accused, Parthasarathi Samantara, had also been arrested in the same case.
The series of arrests and counter-allegations has kept the dispute between the block administration and the Tikhiri Sarpanch at the centre of public and political attention in Kendrapara district.
