The court said Bishweswar Tudu would not be arrested till the next date of hearing on March 8. (File)
The Orissa High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Union minister Bishweswar Tudu in connection with the assault of two state government officials last month.
A single-judge bench of Justice SK Sahoo also directed the Minister of State for Tribal Sffairs to appear before the investigating officer at 10 am on March 4 for interrogation.
The court said Tudu would not be arrested till the next date of hearing on March 8.
The minister should not "directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to dissuade a person connected to the case from disclosing facts to the police or court," the bench said.
On January 21, Tudu had allegedly assaulted two government officials at the BJP office in Baripada town of Mayurbhanj district, a charge denied by the minister.