Bhubaneswar Mahila Police (under police commissionerate) on Sunday arrested known RTI activist Pradip Pradhan in connection with the alleged mental harassment case filed by sprinter Dutee Chand.

However, Pradhan’s arrest has evoked sharp reactions.

Dutee Chand, who lodged a complaint against Pradhan, told The Telegraph: “During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Pradhan posted a series of comments on my performance and personal life. It not only caused a lot of embarrassment but also affected my performance later on. I had gone through a lot of mental agony.”

Dutee said: “ After coming back from Tokyo, I filed cases against three persons — Pradhan and two others, who worked in a digital news channel. While the other two were arrested, the police failed to arrest Pradhan. In August this year, I approached the high court, asking why Pradhan was not arrested. The court also issued a direction to this effect to the police.”

The police arrested Pradhan under various sections of IPC including 506 (criminal intimidation).

A section of people questioned why police remained silent on the issue for two months. Social media has been flooded with posts that Pradhan was arrested as he remained critical about the functioning of the present dispensation, particularly about the style of functioning of former IAS officer V.K. Pandian, a close associate of chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Pradhan, who also happens to be the secretary of the political outfit, “Mo Dala” ( My Party), on Friday criticised the Naveen government and accused it of allowing a few to loot the state.

Social activist and journalist Rabi Das told reporters: “Pradhan posted some comments on social media on Dutee. After Dutee moved to the high court, Pradhan also moved to the high court and got bail. According to the norms to get a regular bail, the applicant needs to move to the lower court where the case is going on, for the execution of the high court’s order on bail. Based on the high court order, the lower court issues a regular bail.”

Das said: “Pradhan had approached the lower court for bail. But it was bad luck because the judge of the lower court was transferred on that day and the execution of the high court order on bail was not done. Pradhan should have approached the lower court the next day. But as he remained busy with social work, he failed to apply for regular bail.”