<p class="title">An administrative inquiry has confirmed allegations against a newly elected BJD MLA that he "manhandled" and "insulted" a junior PWD engineer, a senior official said on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The inquiry was launched after a video showing Patnagarh MLA Saroj Kumar Meher forcing the engineer to do sit-ups in public in Bolangir district went viral last week. The district collector had sought a report on the incident.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Patnagarh sub-collector had been tasked with probing the incident.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I have received a report from Patnagarh sub-collector confirming the incident and allegations of manhandling and insult of the junior engineer," Bolangir District Collector Arindam Dakua said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The district administration will send the report to the state government and recommend action against all those involved in the incident, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is for the government to take further steps," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A case had been registered against Meher at Patnagarh police station on Friday, a day after a complaint was lodged by the wife of the engineer, Jayakant Sabar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meher was booked under different sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST Act, a police officer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"An investigation is in progress and appropriate steps will be taken in due course," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The legislator's action had triggered a row with the opposition BJP targeting the ruling BJD government and demanding immediate Meher's arrest. The Congress also condemned the incident and sought action against the MLA.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meher later apologised for his action and said he was compelled to ask the engineer to do sit-ups to assauge public anger.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He claimed that the people in his constituency were angry over poor quality of road construction and "could have harmed" the engineer if he did not ask him to do sit-ups.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The family members and relatives of the engineer have demanded immediate arrest of Meher and stringent action against him for his "high-handedness".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bolangir District Adivasi Manch and Odisha Diploma Engineers' Service Association (ODESA) have also demanded stern action against the legislator.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The association condemns the act and demands that legal action be taken against him (Meher) immediately," a leader of ODESA said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meher had on June 5 visited the Belpada block in Bolangir, where local people complained about the poor construction of the Mandal-Belpada bypass.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the video clip, the engineer is seen apologizing for alleged laxity in performing his duties, but Meher does not relent.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The MLA allegedly threatened the engineer with "mob thrashing", following which the latter did sit-ups on the road. </p>
<p class="title">An administrative inquiry has confirmed allegations against a newly elected BJD MLA that he "manhandled" and "insulted" a junior PWD engineer, a senior official said on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The inquiry was launched after a video showing Patnagarh MLA Saroj Kumar Meher forcing the engineer to do sit-ups in public in Bolangir district went viral last week. The district collector had sought a report on the incident.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Patnagarh sub-collector had been tasked with probing the incident.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I have received a report from Patnagarh sub-collector confirming the incident and allegations of manhandling and insult of the junior engineer," Bolangir District Collector Arindam Dakua said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The district administration will send the report to the state government and recommend action against all those involved in the incident, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is for the government to take further steps," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A case had been registered against Meher at Patnagarh police station on Friday, a day after a complaint was lodged by the wife of the engineer, Jayakant Sabar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meher was booked under different sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST Act, a police officer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"An investigation is in progress and appropriate steps will be taken in due course," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The legislator's action had triggered a row with the opposition BJP targeting the ruling BJD government and demanding immediate Meher's arrest. The Congress also condemned the incident and sought action against the MLA.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meher later apologised for his action and said he was compelled to ask the engineer to do sit-ups to assauge public anger.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He claimed that the people in his constituency were angry over poor quality of road construction and "could have harmed" the engineer if he did not ask him to do sit-ups.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The family members and relatives of the engineer have demanded immediate arrest of Meher and stringent action against him for his "high-handedness".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bolangir District Adivasi Manch and Odisha Diploma Engineers' Service Association (ODESA) have also demanded stern action against the legislator.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The association condemns the act and demands that legal action be taken against him (Meher) immediately," a leader of ODESA said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meher had on June 5 visited the Belpada block in Bolangir, where local people complained about the poor construction of the Mandal-Belpada bypass.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the video clip, the engineer is seen apologizing for alleged laxity in performing his duties, but Meher does not relent.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The MLA allegedly threatened the engineer with "mob thrashing", following which the latter did sit-ups on the road. </p>