Odisha MLA booked for failing to turn up at own wedding

Paradip, June 18

A case was filed against BJD MLA Bijay Shankar Das on Saturday after he failed to turn up for his own wedding, police said.

The case was filed against Das, the legislator of Tirtol, at the Jagatsinghpur Sadar police station based on the complaint of a woman who alleged that he cheated her as he did not turn up at the marriage registrar’s office on Friday, they said.

The case was filed under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 195A (threatening any person to give false evidence), 294 (obscene acts and songs), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), among others, inspector-in-charge Pravas Sahu said.

The couple applied at the marriage registrar’s office on May 17. Though the woman along with her family reached there for the wedding formalities on Friday after the stipulated 30 days, the MLA failed to turn up, as per the FIR.

Das, 30, said he has not denied getting married to her.

“Another 60 days are there for the registration of the marriage. Therefore, I did not turn up. I was not informed by her or anyone else to go to the marriage registrar’s office,” he told reporters.

The woman claimed that she was in a relationship with Das for three years, and he promised to marry her on the scheduled date.

“But unfortunately, his brother and other family members are threatening me. He did not keep his promise and he is not responding to my phone calls,” she alleged.