Nuapada bypoll: Raid at BJD leader gharai’s residence sparks tension

Nuapada/Bhubaneswar, Oct 31 (PTI) Tension prevailed at Khariar Road in bypoll-bound Nuapada assembly segment on Friday after a raid was conducted at the rented residence of BJD senior general secretary and former minister Priti Ranjan Gharai, a star campaigner for the opposition party.

The raid was conducted by officials in presence of a magistrate and accompanied by armed security personnel.

BJD workers and leaders, angry over the raid, attempted to block the convoy, questioning the timing and intent of the action.

A video showing party workers confronting the magistrate and demanding to know on whose orders the raid was conducted went viral on social media, fueling resentment among the party ranks.

PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Reports indicated that the searches were carried out amid allegations that a large sum of cash was stored at Gharai’s rented residence.

Condemning the action, BJD senior vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra alleged that the raid was conducted without a search warrant or valid reason.

"The raid team claimed they acted on the Election Commission’s orders, but failed to produce an official copy," Mishra told reporters.

He added that the raid was carried out when Gharai was not at home, as he had gone to his panchayat for electioneering.

Earlier, police had also conducted similar searches at the Congress office in Nuapada, which drew criticism from opposition parties.

At a press conference in Bhubaneswar, BJD leaders demanded action against the Nuapada district collector, who also serves as the district election officer, and the superintendent of police.

A party delegation submitted a petition to Chief Electoral Officer RS Goapalan, alleging that the officers were misusing administrative machinery in favour of the ruling BJP.

"The ruling BJP, fearing defeat, has resorted to unethical tactics and has even brought leaders from Chhattisgarh to mislead voters. Soon after the visit of the DGP to Nuapada, local police officials received unwritten instructions to extend support to the BJP. Following this, the Collector and SP started acting in a partisan manner, intimidating BJD leaders and workers and attempting to influence voters," alleged BJD leader Lenin Mohanty.

He further alleged that nearly 500 people who were brought from Chhattisgarh by the BJP have impersonated police personnel to harass voters and BJD supporters in the constituency.

Rejecting the BJD allegation, BJP leader Manoj Mohapatra said, "BJD leaders should understand basic principles. During election time when the Model Code of Conduct is imposed, the administration and police work under the Election Commission (EC). Neither the party nor the state government have any role behind the raid on BJD leader’s rented house in Nuapada." PTI AAM AAM MNB