Bhubaneswar shootout: Congress MLA held, sent to judicial custody

On February 1, police personnel had swooped down a flat and arrested eight persons including Jena's personal security officer and some anti-socials in Kharvela Nagar area in the state capital. Jena's PSO had opened fire at the police personnel creating a sense of insecurity among the flat owners who spent sleepless nights due to the presence of the MLA in the apartment. Jena had since vacated the flat.

The police had registered several cases against Jena, who was on bail from the Orissa high court after being arrested in connection with the murder of a criminal in Berhampur on January 1, on charges of shielding criminals. Jena, representing the Sanakhemundi assembly constituency in the Ganjam district, was arrested near Brahmagiri in Puri district, about 90 km from Bhubaneswar.

The Congress MLA was later remanded to a 14-day judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected by a court. Acting on a tip off, a team of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissionerate of police raided a place near Brahmagiri and arrested Jena, a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, in protest against the arrest of the MLA, his supporters had resorted to violence and rasta roko at Berhampur in Ganjam district affecting traffic movement in the town.

The police chased the crowd who blocked the busy Gate Bazar Aska Road and Taluka Bazaar of the town by burning tyres, the sources said, adding, that the police force had been deployed to quell the violence.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh of the Congress, described the police action against Jena as "unfortunate". "Why the police did not arrest Jena on February 1 when it arrested others from Chandrama apartment. We will raise the issue in the Assembly," Singh told mediapersons.