'Don't Address Any Public Rally For One Year' : Supreme Court To Odisha MLA While Granting Bail In Road Rage Case

While granting bail to an Odisha MLA accused in a road rage case, the Supreme Court restrained him from addressing any public rally for an year.

The bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Vikram Nath also restrained him from visiting his Constituency (Chilika) for a period of one year without taking permission from the District Collector.

The allegation against MLA Prasant Kumar Jagdev is that he drove his white colored Discovery Car on a crowd of protesters, which led to injuries to many persons. It is alleged that out of 20 injured victims, two of them received grievous injuries and others have received simple injuries. 

The Odisha High Court had earlier dismissed his bail application. "As it reveals, while giving threat to run the vehicle over the protesters, he drove the vehicle into the crowd that too using the registration number of a different vehicle. Such indulgence and overt act can never be treated as becoming of a public representative.", Justice S. Pujahari of Odisha High Court had observed in the order. The court had also noted that he is involved in about twelve criminal cases and is 'also a person of means and influential one being the member of the State Legislature'.

In appeal filed before the Apex Court, it was submitted that there is a cross FIR submitted by the MLA in connection with this incident and that those who received grievous injuries are also out of hospital.

Taking note of this, the bench granted him bail, but imposed the following conditions:

1) He shall not visit the Chilika Constituency for a period of one year without taking permission from the Collector of the District.

2) Even within this period of one year, he shall not address any public rally or political congregation of not more than five persons.

3) He shall not influence any witness directly or indirectly. The Trial Court is at liberty to impose any other conditions of bail.

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