Bhubaneswar: A day after Puri Superintendent of Police Uma Shankar Dash urged BJP’s candidate for Satyabadi Assembly constituency Om Prakash Mishra to surrender in connection with the EVM vandalisation case, Mishra issued a video response in social media.
He was seen denying any involvement in damaging the EVM machine in the video and demanded an impartial enquiry into the incident.
“The entire episode should be investigated. An unbiased and independent probe should be carried out into the role of administration and those who have been accused of booth rigging. I am willing to face punishment, if the impartial probe finds me guilty,” said Mishra.
“I have not broken any EVM. I was not even able to go anywhere near it. I saw the booth was being rigged by the time I had reached there. BJD goons, on the other hand, snatched important papers, licensed guns and Rs50000 in cash from our workers,” he added.
Mishra also accused the polling officer of Telengapada to have casted more than 200 votes himself after polling came to an end. The villagers tied him up and detained him after they learnt of the incident.
“Nimapara and Kakatput Assembly constituencies are going to polls April 29 in fourth phase. This is a preconceived poll plank of the ruling party to gain political mileage,” he accused.
It may be mentioned here that the cops have already issued a lookout circular against him and have been raiding several places to trace him. Two of his aides identified as Akhaya Biswal and Manas Samantaray have already been arrested in connection with the incident.
The action was taken based on the complaint of Sibaram Mahapatra, the presiding officer of booth no. 78 at Balabhadra Nodal school in Birakesharipur village. He had filed a complaint with the Gadishagoda police station alleging that at about 6:00pm on April 23, Om along with his supporters barged into the booth and damaged the EVM machine while the voting was in progress.
He had fled from the scene brandishing a handgun after voters tried to resist him; however, the people caught hold of two of his accomplices and handed them over to cops, the presiding officer had said.