BJP files complaint against media leakages by SIT
| Date :08-Apr-2019 |
Staff Reporter RAIPUR:
BJP filed a complaint to ECI for misusing legal evidence collected in Antagarh Tape fiasco in election campaign for LS elections- 2019. BJP demanded immediate removal of officials concerned who are allegedly involved in the leakage
The Chhattisgarh unit of Bharatiya Janata Party has filed a complaint to Election Commission of India, Chief Electoral Officer Chhattisgarh as well as to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), regarding misuse/illegal use of legal evidence collected under Crime No 39/2019 (Antagarh Tape fiasco) at Pandri police station in the Capital, in election campaign for Lok Sabha Elections – 2019. The Bharatiya Janata Party while registering its complaints to the Election Commission has demanded immediate removal of officials concerned who are allegedly involved in the leakage of crucial evidences to the Congress and subsequently to the media. The BJP also demanded for ordering enquiry against such officials.
Naresh Chandra Gupta, State Convener of Bharatiya Janata Party Legal Cell said in the complaint to the Election Commission, the BJP has maintained that a crime registered in Pandri police station in capital vide crime number 39/2019 under Sections 406, 420, 171E, 171F, 120B of IPC and 9, 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Mantu Ram Pawar and others.
Affixing a copy of the FIR, the BJP complained that one of the prime witnesses, Firoz Siddiqui, who produced certain recorded/sting CD conversation alleging to be of certain persons in the commission of the alleged offence, as claimed by the investigation agency, Department of Police, Chhattisgarh. Moreover, the entire case is being investigated by SIT, headed by IG G P Singh along with other team members of the police department constituted by the state government. Gupta said recently some videos containing some conversations were circulated in the media under various websites. These are the videos which were supposedly produced by Firoz Siddiqui to the SIT but investigating agency for reasons best known to them has permitted Firoz Siddhiqui to circulate the said videos in the media whereas the investigating agency is legally bound to secure these videos as it forms an essential legal evidence in the criminal case, as claimed by the investigating agency. Gupta said the electronic media is running this video while its transcripts are published in newspapers.
He alleged that the Congress which is in the government is utilising the same against BJP for the Lok Sabha campaigning. He said the evidences collected during investigation becomes part of the case and has to be preserved and produced in the court of law. Despite the fact, the Lok Sabha elections are going on and Model Code of Election Conduct has been imposed throughout the country including Chhattisgarh, leaking such evidences to the Congress by the police department, which is not only violation of Model Code but also violation of other legal provisions.