Bhubaneswar: Former MLA of Dhenkanal Nabin Nanda was suspended from the BJD on Monday after Calcutta police arrested him during a raid on a brothel running in the guise of a spa at Park Street on Saturday.

Nanda, however, had claimed that the police detained him after he entered the spa chasing a man, who had picked his pocket.

The police said Nanda was arrested from the spa, along with two other customers, under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. He was later released on bail. On the other hand, his family members, being unable to contact Nanda over his mobile phone, have also lodged a missing complaint at Shakespeare Sarani police station.

"I became a victim of pickpocket. While I started chasing the criminal, who entered the spa, the police were conducting raid there. I was taken to the police station for questioning and since I had no phone I could not contact my family members," Nanda said on Sunday.

The 59-year-old politician had won Gondia Assembly segment in 2000 on a BJD ticket and later joined the Samajwadi Party after being denied ticket in 2004. In 2009, he had won from Dhenkanal on the NCP ticket as part of alliance with the BJD.

Nanda on Monday rubbished the allegations and maintained that he had not visited the spa with "any wrong intention". "The allegations regarding my involvement in sex racket are fabricated, false and baseless. I will consult my lawyer and take legal action in connection with the incident," said Nanda.

Nanda's son Sambit also alleged political conspiracy behind the episode. "My father is not involved in any kind of immoral activities. I strongly suspect involvement of local leaders, who have persuaded the party supremo for his suspension," he said.