Coming down heavily on the State police administration for the manner in which it arrested former Sanakhemundi Congress MlA Ramesh Jena, leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Narsingha Mishra on Saturday targeted Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh and asked him how he termed Jena as a criminal.
“How the DGP described Ramesh Jena as a criminal! Nobody can be called a criminal till he/she is proven guilty in a criminal case by the court of law,” the Congress veteran said.
He said the police had lodged 40 cases against Jena, but he was acquitted in as many as 35 cases. “The other cases are being investigated. So, how can Jena be called a criminalIJ” Mishra questioned.
“It is now evident how the police administration is being managed by the Government in the State. The Naveen Patnaik Government is being vindictive and attacking opponents by slapping false cases,” said Mishra.
However, the DGP refuted the charges of the leader of Opposition and said he had not made any such comment.
“The only thing I can say is ‘don’t mix crimes with politics’,” said Singh.