A former MLA in Odisha was arrested and sent to jail for stopping a tourist and robbing him of ₹30,000 in Kandhamal district on Tuesday.

The former MLA, identified as Debendra Kanhar, and his acquaintance Srinivas Kanhar, a havildar in the India Reserve Battalion, were accused of attacking a tourist on the Urumagarh road and snatching money from him on February 9.

The tourist, Kamakhi Behera of Dhenkanal district, had lodged a police complaint on February 11. The accused were produced before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Phulbani, who remanded them in 14 days’ judicial custody.

Earlier, a sex tape purportedly involving the ex-MLA had surfaced. Subsequently, a woman had lodged complaint that Kanhar was stalking her and he along with his another associate forcibly entered her house and misbehaved with her. Later he was arrested from Andhra Pradesh.

Kanhar had won the Phulbani assembly seat in the year 2009. In his affidavit, the former MLA had submitted that he had no cash except ₹47,000-worth jewelry owned by his spouse. His immovable property was worth ₹16 lakh which he could get as share in joint family.