Balangir: Newly-elected BJD MLA from Patnagarh in Odisha, Saroj Meher, was booked today hours after a video showing the legislator forcing a government official to do sit-ups in public over alleged poor road construction in his constituency.

According to Balangir District Collector Arvind Dakua and police, Jasbant Sabar, a junior engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), doing sit-ups in front of hundreds of people near Belpada area of the district has emerged in the media.

After knowing about the incident, the wife of the Junior Engineer has lodged a complaint with Patnagarh police alleging his husband was kidnapped by the MLA and his supporters from her home last night.

On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was registered against the legislator, police said.

Meanwhile, the District Collector has asked the Patnagarh SDPO look into the matter to ascertain the truth behind the incident.

The MLA later tendered an apology for his unruly behaviour.

Earlier in the day, a video clip showing Meher forcing the PWD junior engineer of Belpada block to do 100 sit-ups in public has gone viral on the social media drawing flak from various quarters and immediate action against the MLA.

The MLA also threatened the engineer with violence if he refused to follow his orders.

In the video, the engineer is seen doing sit-ups and apologizing for poor quality work.

Meher, a tribal, is a first-time MLA from Patnagarh constituency in Balangir district.