The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has suspended Amaresh Jena, a corporator of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), following his arrest in connection with a rape case.
The suspension was announced with immediate effect after serious allegations surfaced against Jena, who was apprehended from the Nilagiri area in Balasore district after remaining absconding for several days.
According to police reports, a 19-year-old woman filed a complaint at the Laxmisagar Police Station on July 23, 2025, accusing Jena of sexually exploiting her since September 2023, when she was still a minor. The survivor alleged that Jena promised marriage after divorcing his wife, coerced her into an abortion of a two-month pregnancy in February 2024, and later threatened her with harm to silence her.
Jena has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for repeated rape, forced miscarriage, public obscenity, and criminal intimidation, along with charges under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for aggravated sexual assault on a minor.
Following his arrest, the BJD leadership acted swiftly to suspend him from the party, citing the seriousness of the charges and the need to uphold the party’s zero-tolerance stance on crimes against women.
District President of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Ashok Chandra Panda, has reacted to the suspension of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporator Amaresh Jena, who was arrested in connection with a rape case.
Speaking to the media, Panda said, “As the district president, I had already brought the matter to the attention of the party leadership. Therefore, as soon as Jena was arrested, the party took immediate action against him.”
He emphasized that the BJD has always prioritized women’s safety, adding, “The suspension of Amaresh Jena will have no impact on the party’s functioning or reputation.”
