New Delhi: The Orissa Police have arrested the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate from Kandhmal, Ashok Sahu, who is in trouble after a vitriolic speech against Christians in state's communally sensitive area.
The BJP MP had been on the run. The police were on the lookout for him.
NDTV managed to speak to the MP earlier on Sunday, and he said he'd rather appeal to the court for bail than surrender.
Ironically, Sahu is a former police officer.
Now the Election Commission has cracked down and wants Sahu to be charged for outraging religious beliefs and promoting enmity.
There were no word on where the MP was, but under the charges, he could be in jail for upto three years.
The Election Commission has directed Kandhmal District Magistrate to issue notice to the BJP candidate for violation of model code of conduct.
An FIR was lodged against Sahu on April 9 for his inflammatory speech against the Christians in the communally sensitive district.
After investigations, an arrest warrant was issued against Sahu on Saturday. But his son-in-law said he had no idea about Sahu's whereabouts.
Sahu had triggered the controversy when he said in his rally, "Who killed Swamiji? Did he not know that there would be dire consequences for such an act? If I say it too often I am accused of being communal and blamed for spreading communal hatred."
After the alleged hate speech came to light, the Kandhmal police have been investigating the case.
However, speaking to NDTV earlier, the BJP candidate had said that he was unapologetic about his comments on Christians.
"Why should I surrender on such flimsy grounds?" said Sahu.
However, he also said that the police was not reaching him.
"But during my campaign if the government is arresting me, I will surrender to the law. So far the police has not raided the places where I am addressing rallies and meeting the public in the rural areas. The police is not reaching me," he said.