Talcher MLA, Braja Kishor Pradhan, who was arrested by police on charges of fuelling the Friday's violence in the coal mining belt, was released today even as the Opposition protest over his arrest created ruckus in the state assembly.
Earlier, Opposition parties strongly protested the arrest of Pradhan, who is an Independent MLA with leanings towards Congress, both inside and outside the assembly, demanding his immediate release. They also questioned the procedure of the arrest amid ongoing winter session of the House
The Speaker had to adjourn the assembly thrice today as the Opposition members created disturbance as soon as the assembly began its daily business. After the meeting of Business Advisory Committee remained inconclusive, the Speaker had to adjourn the House till Tuesday.
Congress leaders demanded a panel by assembly members to find out the lapses in the entire case
"We are demanding that a House panel must be formed to probe the entire incident and the report should be submitted within five days. The report will clarify who was guilty and who was not," said Bhupinder Singh, Leader of Opposition in the assembly.
The MLA was arrested by Talcher police on Saturday from his official residence at Bhubaneswar after attending the assembly session, in connection with his alleged involvement in the Friday's rampage that destroyed about 40 vehicles and damaged office building of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) at Jagannath colliery
When Opposition members, including BJP MLAs shouted slogans protesting arrest of an MLA when the assembly was in session, the Speaker had to clarify that he had been informed by police officials from Talcher about the arrest.
Meanwhile, a sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) court of Talcher granted bail to Pradhan in the case, who had been on hunger strike inside the jail ever since his arrest on Saturday.
After his release, Pradhan said an independent probe should be conducted to find out the real culprit behind the issue. "A probe conducted by CBI (Criminal Bureau of Investigation) should clarify who was guilty," he said immediately after his release.
Congress leaders today said that Talcher police acted on the behest of the state government, as the contractor against who the MLA was leading a rally at Talcher when it turned violent, is allegedly supported by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) .
BJD defended the arrest of the MLA saying such a development is not surprising and the law will take its own course during the investigation.
