Odisha BJP MLA Prashant Jagdev Gets Three-Day Interim Bail For Taking Part In Oath Ceremony Of New Govt

A Court in Odisha's Khurda district has released Prashant Jagdev, the newly elected MLA of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Khurda, on three-day interim bail for taking part in the oath taking ceremony of the new BJP government in the State.

The legislator was arrested for allegedly vandalising an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and also manhandling polling officials during the third phase of election in the State last month.

The Presiding Officer of the polling booth of Bolagad block's Kuanripatna, where Jagdev is registered as a voter, lodged a complaint alleging that the MLA attempted to vandalise the EVM machine and also, assaulted the polling officials as he had to stand in the queue for a long time to cast his vote.

Following the complaint, an FIR was registered under various provisions of IPC as well as Representation of People Act and he was arrested.

He was earlier denied bail by the Court. However, he again approached the Court of Additional Sessions Judge-1, Khurda for interim bail to participate in the oath taking ceremony of the newly formed BJP government in the State.

The Court has released him on interim bail for three days, i.e. 9, 10 and 11 June, 2024, with a condition that he shall not indulge in any criminal activity during such release.

Notably, this is not the first time that Jagdev has been in legal trouble. In 2022, he was arrested for allegedly driving his four-wheeler over a crowd during the panchayat elections.