A serious case has rocked Bhubaneswar as a 19-year-old woman has accused Biju Janata Dal (BJD) corporator Amaresh Jena of rape and forced abortion.
The complaint, lodged at Laxmisagar police station on July 23, 2025, alleges that Jena, under the pretext of marriage, exploited the young woman, leading to a series of disturbing events, including physical assault and threats to her life.
According to the complainant, a resident of Puri district living in Jena’s ward, the two met during a Raja festival event in June 2023. Jena allegedly gifted her a smartphone and initiated regular communication, eventually proposing love and promising marriage. In September 2023, when the victim was still a minor at 17, Jena took her to a friend’s house in Puri, where he allegedly raped her. The corporator continued to maintain a physical relationship with her, taking her to various locations and showering her with gifts. In February 2024, when the victim discovered she was two months pregnant, she informed Jena, who allegedly coerced her into undergoing an abortion, citing his ongoing divorce proceedings. By April 2024, Jena’s behaviour reportedly turned hostile. He allegedly took the victim to a bypass road in Puri, snatched the smartphone he had gifted her, verbally abused her, and threatened to kill her.
Following the complaint, Laxmisagar police registered a case. The victim underwent a medical examination, and her statement was recorded.
The police have charged Jena under several sections of the law: BNS Sections 64(2)(m) for repeated rape, 89 for causing a miscarriage without the woman’s consent, 296 for committing obscene acts in public, and 351(2) for criminal intimidation. Additionally, Jena is facing charges under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for aggravated sexual assault of a minor.
