BJD MLA arrested for making engineer do sit ups for poor quality roads

Bhubaneswar, June 24: A legislator of the ruling Biju Janata Dal in Odisha was arrested after he allegedly made an official do sit-ups over public complaints of poor roads.

Patnagarh MLA, Saroj Meher was detained earlier in the day, after he had made an engineer, Jaykant Sabar do sit ups three weeks back.

Sabar was allegedly picked up Meher's followers on June 5 and then forced to do sit ups on a road in the Belpada area.

The government official apologised to him, but the MLA insisted that he do sit ups threatening him that the locals would beat him up, if he refused. In a video clip that went viral, the MLA is heard says that he is the legislator and this is my order. I am empowering the people to thrash you, he is also said.

The official was rescued by the police, following which his wife, Prabhina filed a complaint under sections of the Indian Penal Code and Schedule Castes Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.