Odisha: BJD’s Leader Amaresh Jena Arrested in Rape Case Involving Minor

The police had earlier formed three special squads to nab Jena, who was absconding after the allegations. He was subsequently arrested and is being brought to Bhubaneswar, sources said.

Soon after his arrest, the BJD president Naveen Patnaik suspended Jena from the party.

According to sources, Jena will first be taken to Laxmisagar police station and later produced before the Court.

Jena, a prominent BJD leader and represents Ward Number 45 in Bhubanswar Municipal Coporation, was booked under the Bharat Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 64(2) (rape), 89 (committing miscarriage without woman's permission), 296 (obscene act), and 352 (criminal intimidation), besides section 6 of the POCSO Act, at the Laxmisagar police station, where the survivor lodged a complaint on Wednesday, the police said.

Earlier on Saturday, the police arrested five associates of Jena. The five arrested individuals hail from various parts of Khurda and Jagatsinghpur districts, and were forwarded to judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected, they said.

In a written complaint lodged at Laxmisagar police station, a 19-year-old woman had accused the BJD corporator of rape, foeticide, cheating, and criminal intimidation. Jena, while absconding, told a section of the media that he was innocent and had been “framed” by the ruling BJP.

In her complaint, the survivor alleged that the corporator sexually exploited her with the promise of marriage when she was 17 years old. She claimed that Jena took her to Puri, engaged in physical relations, and in February 2024, when she was still a minor, forced her to abort a two-month pregnancy by administering pills. The survivor also alleged that she was threatened of dire consequences if she revealed the matter to anyone.

The police has recorded the statement of the survivor after conducted her medical test.