Alwar lynching accused innocent, should be released: Rajasthan BJP lawmaker

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | By
Jul 24, 2018 06:28 PM IST

MLA Gyandev Ahuja also brushed aside the opposition’s accusation that the BJP and some MLAs like him were trying to use the lynching incident to create polarisation in the run up to the elections, and blamed the Congress instead.

BJP MLA from Ramgarh (Alwar) Gyandev Ahuja on Tuesday accused the police of conspiring against him and insisted that two of the three men arrested by the Alwar police for lynching Rakbar Khan are “innocent and should be released immediately.”

File photo of BJP MLA from Ramgarh Gyandev Ahuja speaking to media persons in Alwar circuit house.(HT Photo)
File photo of BJP MLA from Ramgarh Gyandev Ahuja speaking to media persons in Alwar circuit house.(HT Photo)

“Police arrested Dharmendra Yadav and Paramjeet Singh Sardar by deceit as they were first asked to accompany them to the police station to register the report. They are just trying to take revenge (on gau rakshaks). These two people were waiting for the police to appear at the crime scene. They would have fled had they been guilty. I don’t know about the third accused,” Ahuja told HT.

Inspector general of police (Jaipur range) Hemant Priyadarshi had said the two men were found to be involved in Rakbar’s death.

“Two suspects were taken to police station from the spot and were later arrested after we found their involvement. Investigation is on to find other culprits,” Priyadarshi had said.

The third accused, Naresh Singh, was arrested on Sunday and all the three have been remanded to police custody for five days.

Ahuja said he had spoken to state home minister Gulabchand Kataria about the “wrongful arrest” and demanded their release and the minister has assured him that he would inquire into the matter.

The police which has been heavily criticised for the delay in taking Rakbar to hospital, also came under fire from the BJP lawmaker.

Asked about statement of Aslam (the other person accompanying Rakbar Khan who managed to escape) to the police that the mob were shouting “we are MLA’s men,” Ahuja said it was a conspiracy hatched by officials of Alwar police as he had openly blamed them for Rakbar’s death.

“This statement recorded by the police is nothing but a conspiracy to frame me. Aslam ran away from the spot and went straight to his village that is 25 km away. Which mob shouts “we are MLA’s men.” This is an absurd allegation,” he said.

Ahuja denied that Nawal Kishor Sharma, the local VHP leader who was allegedly a part of the lynch mob, was his protégé. “I know thousands of people in Alwar, which is my constituency. That does not mean that they are my men,” he said.

He also brushed aside the opposition’s accusation that the BJP and some MLAs like him were trying to use the lynching incident to create polarisation in the run up to the elections, and blamed the Congress instead. “It’s an absolutely false charge. In fact, it is the conspiracy of the Congress which wants to give BJP a bad name.”

Ahuja seemed convinced that Rakbar was a cow smuggler. “Cow smuggling has to end if such lynching incidents, which are unfortunate, are to be stopped.”

On what evidence he had that the police had beaten up Rakbar Khan, Ahuja said that he had all the evidence that was needed. “The photos of Rakbar Khan in the police van when he was conscious and appeared to be not seriously injured have already been shared on social media. Just wait and watch. The truth will come out,” he said.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Manoj Ahuja is a principal correspondent based in Indore. He writes on business, agriculture and aviation. His focus is on south-western Madhya Pradesh, particularly the tribal belt.

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