New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Odisha MLA and BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra, who is accused of slapping a woman police officer during a protest outside the Sambalpur Collectorate in 2022.
Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice S.V.N. Bhatti’s bench rejected the plea of Mishra, who was represented by senior lawyer Maninder Singh. “People holding leadership positions have to set an example for public conduct,” the bench said. Mishra, in his response, said that he was not aware of the ongoing developments in the apex court. However, he claimed that the previous BJD government had filed a false case against him.
He told reporters, “They (BJD) were in the government and they filed a case against me under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. This is completely politically motivated….” The allegations against Mishra came to light on February 15, 2022, when a BJP-led protest was held outside the Sambalpur Collectorate. A dharna was also staged by BJP supporters during the protest. When the female police officer approached Mishra to control the advancing crowd, he allegedly assaulted her. It was alleged in the case that Mishra used abusive language, touched the officer inappropriately and slapped him on the cheek.
The charges against him include outraging the modesty of a woman, criminal intimidation, defamation, obscenity, wrongful restraint and using criminal force on a government servant. The leader has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that it was the officer who acted aggressively against her. Mishra had filed a petition in the Supreme Court after the bail plea was rejected by the Odisha High Court on 16 November 2023. He said that it was inappropriate to interrogate him in custody because the alleged incident took place in broad daylight and its video was also made.