BJP’s newly-elected Khurda MLA Prasanta Jagadev discharged from SCB Hospital

Bhubaneswar: BJP’s newly-elected Khurda MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagadev was today discharged from the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Jagadev was admitted to the hospital after being arrested in an EVM damage case. He was hospitalized as his health deteriorated while being in jail.

The Khurda District Court has granted him interim bail for three days– June 9, 10, and 11. The swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in Odisha will take place on June 10.

“We had sought bail for a month. However, the court granted bail for three days. We had three grounds to seek bail. Firstly, his oath-taking ceremony will take place on June 10. Secondly, we sought bail on medical grounds. Thirdly, his nephew has died. The court has directed him to surrender after completion of the bail period,” said Jagadev’s lawyer.

“We will move the Orissa High Court for extension of the bail. Later, we will try for regular bail,” he added.

Jagadev was arrested and remanded to judicial custody for allegedly damaging an EVM at a polling booth in Begunia Assembly Constituency in Khurda district during the third phase of the twin polls in Odisha.

Jagadev had gone to the booth along with his wife to cast vote, during which he allegedly vandalized the machine.

On the basis of a complaint lodged by the concerned Presiding Officer, police detained Jagadev for questioning and later arrested him. A case was registered against him under Sections 452, 448, 294, 354, 323, 332, 427, 171(c), 506 (i), 354 and 34 of the IPC.

However, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi shared the CCTV footage of the incident at the polling booth, claiming that Jagadev was innocent. She also alleged that the BJD hatched a conspiracy against Jagadev to impact his popularity.

Notably, Jagadev was elected to Odisha Assembly from Chilika seat on a BJD ticket in 2019. He was expelled from the regional party for his alleged unruly behaviour. He later joined the BJP and got the ticket to fight the 2024 Assembly polls from Khurda seat.

Jagadev successfully contested the polls by defeating his nearest rival BJD’s Rajendra Kumar Sahoo by a margin of 8598 votes.

Jagadev got 80564 votes while 71966 votes were polled in favour of Sahoo.