BJD MLA Srikant Sahu Claims Threat to Life: WhatsApp Chat Sparks Police Probe

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha minister and BJD MLA from Polasara, Srikant Sahu, has filed a complaint with the police, alleging a conspiracy to harm him and his daughter. The 50-year-old legislator took this step after receiving a WhatsApp message containing a conversation purportedly involving fellow party leader Sanjukta Mahal and one Bikash Behera. The message implied a threat to Sahu and his daughter’s safety and requested their immediate arrest.

The message, written in Odia, read, “Daya kari mo katha mana friend mu Srikanta mariba pain chahunchi mo bhauniki se mariachi ok mam apna mate tike sahajya kale mu bi taku maribi, ta jhia sum hospital re achi taku bi maribi ok mam apna mate tike help karantu” (Please try to understand me, friend; I want to harm Srikanta, he has harmed my sister. Ma’am, if you help me, I will harm him. His daughter is in SUM Hospital; I will harm her too, so please help me), Sanjukta shared her contact number in response.

Based on Sahu’s complaint, the police have registered a case under Sections 506, 507, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, related to criminal intimidation and conspiracy, and have initiated an investigation.

In response, Sanjukta has accused the MLA of falsely implicating her in a case. She alleges that the legislator created a fake account in the name of Bikash Behera with the intention of trapping her. Sanjukta stated that she received the message on her Facebook account about two months ago and shared her number with the sender to understand the situation. She also claimed to have filed a complaint with various authorities, including the cyber police station, Bhubaneswar DCP, and Laxmisagar police station, against Behera, but no action was taken.

Furthermore, Sanjukta alleged that the former Buguda tehsildar Sangram Keshari Jena, recently arrested in a disproportionate assets case, is a close associate of Sahu. She believes that Sahu conspired against her to prevent her from revealing his connection with Jena. In April, Sanjukta had initially lodged a complaint against the MLA, which reportedly led to his resignation from the ministry. Subsequently, in August, she approached the Orissa High Court to request a thorough investigation into her complaint.