FIR lodged against BJP's Puri LS candidate Sambit Patra

Puri: A police complaint has been lodged against BJP’s Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra for allegedly using Lord Jagannath's name on his vehicle being used for election campaigning.

Official sources informed that an official of the flying squad has registered an FIR against Patra in this connection at Sea Beach police station.

It is also alleged that Patra violated model code of conduct by organising several rallies in Puri without necessary permissions.

"An FIR has been registered against BJP's LS candidate for violating model code of conduct for the ensuing polls," said Puri Collector and returning officer Jyotiprakash Das.

This is not for the first time that allegations of poll code violations have been levelled against Patra. Earlier, Patra was accused of hurting sentiments of people by using an idol of Lord Jagannath during a political rally and uploading the photographs on social media.

The rally was organised after BJP nominated Patra as its candidate from Puri Lok Sabha constituency.

“A friend of mine gifted the idol of the Lord to me during my campaign and I carried it with ‘bhakti’. It is not at all an issue of politicization of the Lord Jagannath, but whenever I get an opportunity to carry the Lord, I will do so,” Patra had clarified earlier.