By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 22, 2019: Police on Monday arrested former minister and BJD candidate from Pipili Assembly seat, Pradeep Maharathy in connection with the alleged attack on Election Commission flying squad Magistrate Rabinarayan Patra and Static Surveillance Team(SST) members in Pipili area of the district.

Maharathi has been charged with serious offences including 307 (Attempt to Murder), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 147 (rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed ith deadly weapon), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 171-B (Bribery), 186 and Section 123 of Representation of People’s Act.

Maharathy, however, expressed unhappiness over the alleged attack on the EC squad at his farmhouse and clarified that neither he nor his party is involved in the attack.

“Yesterday the whole Pipili area was in dark due to power outage after storm and at around midnight, the EC special squad entered my farmhouse by breaking the gate lock. So people present at the farmhouse protested their entry following which a verbal disagreement and later a scuffle broke out between them,” Maharathy told reporters.

However, EC flying squad Magistrate Rabinarayan Patra who was allegedly attacked by Maharathy and his supporters had clarified that after getting information about the distribution of money and liquor at the MLA’s farmhouse, he along with the SST team had gone for investigation.

Puri superintendent of police also corrobotated Patra’s version saying that EC squad reached the spot to verify the allegations. “When the flying squad and static surveillance team was busy in checking, BJD candidate Pradeep Maharathy reached the spot and obstructed the officials from carrying out their work. Later, Maharathy instigated his supporters to attack the team.”

Das also informed that other persons involved in the attack will be arrested.

Later in the day, Maharathy was produced before special designated court here. Maharathy was then sent to Jharpara jail while the court will hear his bail plea on April 24.