Odisha BJP leader Upasna Mohapatra booked for assaulting tenant in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: BJP leader Upasna Mohapatra was on Wednesday booked along with a group of over 30 hooligans on the charges of allegedly assaulting a tenant in IRC Village on Tuesday evening.

Police sources said Upasana, daughter of three-time MLA and late Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, along with over 30 persons, had allegedly attacked tenant Pranab Ray and ransacked the house besides looting cash and valuables.

"The complainant has alleged that Upasna and about 30 to 40 persons barged into their house under Nayapalli police limits, manhandled them, stole some cash and valuables, and asked to vacate the property," said Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash.

As the situation deteriorated, Bhubaneswar DCP and other senior officers rushed to the spot to avoid any further untoward incident.

The police have registered a case and arrested 17 persons in this connection so far. Though Upasna has been named as one of the accused, she has not been apprehended yet.

"Ray was staying on rent at one Bijay Nayak's house. Though Bijay had reportedly told Ray that he will sell his house to him, he later executed the deal with Upasna's husband Subhransu Sekhar Biswal," Police sources said.

Ray had reportedly invested about Rs 48 lakh towards the interior design of the house after Bijay had expressed his willingness to sell his property to him.

"Further investigation is on and efforts are on to nab the other accused involved in ransacking the house and manhandling the complainant," added Dash.