Politician Archives - Lokmarg

Don’t Put Words In His Mouth: Kharge On “Nalayak Beta” Remark

By LokMarg 1st May 2023

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday clarified that his son Priyank Kharge never made the “nalayak beta” remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi adding that people were forcibly putting words to his mouth.

Days after Mallikarjun Kharge stoked a controversy with his “poisonous snake” remark on PM Modi, the Congress president’s son Priyank Kharge on Monday outdid his father describing the holder of the country’s highest officer as “nalayak beta” (useless son).
“…When PM Modi had come to Kalaburgi, he said, Aap sab dariye mat, Banjara community ka ek beta Delhi mein baitha hai (do not be scared, a son from the Banjara community is sitting in Delhi). Aisa nalayak beta baithega toh ghar kaise chalega (if the son is useless, how will the house be run)?” Priyank Kharge said.

While talking to the reporters, Kharge said, “He (Priyank Kharge) never said, don’t put these things in his mouth. He attacked the parliament member who abused him. So don’t put in his mouth these words for Modi. Everywhere this is going purposely.”

Amid the high-decibel campaign for the ensuing Karnataka Assembly elections, Mallikarjun Kharge’s “poisonous snake” remark drew a sharp reaction from the BJP, which slammed the “slanderous” statement saying it reflected the “mentality” of the principal Opposition party in the state.

“PM Modi is like a ‘poisonous snake’. You might to check if its poison or not. But if you lick it, you’re dead,” Kharge had said at an election rally.

Kharge, who made the remarks at Kalaburagi, later issued a clarification saying his remark wasn’t directed at Prime Minister Modi but at the BJP and its “divisive” ideology.

The polls for the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly are scheduled to take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13. (ANI)

Gangster-Turned-Politician Anand Mohan Released From Bihar Jail

By LokMarg 27th April 2023

Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh was released from Bihar’s Saharsa jail early Thursday morning, a jail official confirmed.

Singh’s release was necessitated after the Bihar government recently amended the prison rules allowing the release of 27 convicts including him.
He was serving a life sentence in the 1994 murder of then Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah. After the Bihar Government amended the rules of the Jail manual, an official notification stated that 27 prisoners who have served 14 years or 20 years in jail have been ordered to be released.

Posters welcoming the former MP Anand Mohan were put up at Veer Kunwar Singh Chowk in the district.

The gangster-turned-politician was earlier on parole of 15 days to attend the engagement ceremony of his MLA son Chetan Anand. He had returned to Saharsa jail on April 26 following the end of his parole period.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state prisons department had released nearly 14 convicts from various jails of the state.

Singh was among eight others who could not be released yesterday.

There has been a backlash regarding the former MP’s release from jail by the opposition in the state.

Responding to the uproar over his imminent release, Anand Mohan Singh on Tuesday took a dig at the BJP and said convicts in Bilkis Bano case were also released under Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s pressure.

“In Gujarat also, some decision has been taken under the pressure of RJD and Nitish Kumar, go and see that. Some people have been released and garlanded. Yes, I am pointing out to that case (Bilkis Bano case) only,” Singh told mediapersons.

He said that he has “full sympathy” with the slain IAS officer’s family.

“I have full sympathy for G Krishnaiah’s family. This episode ruined two families, that of Lovely Anand (his wife), and G Kishnaiah,” the former MP added.

Anand Mohan murdered Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah on December 5, 1994, in Muzaffarpur. Krishnaiah was killed by a mob allegedly provoked by Anand Mohan Singh. He was dragged out of his official car and lynched.

G Krishnaiah, a 1985-batch IAS officer who hailed from Mahbubnagar in present-day Telangana.

Anand Mohan was sentenced to death by a trial court in 2007. A year later, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Patna High Court. Mohan then challenged the verdict in Supreme Court but no relief has been granted yet and he has remained in Saharsa jail since 2007.

His wife Lovely Anand has also been a Lok Sabha MP, while their son Chetan Anand is an RJD MLA from Bihar’s Sheohar. (ANI)

Atiq’s Killers To Be Presented Before Magistrate Today

By LokMarg 16th April 2023

The three assailants, who were arrested after shooting dead gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj, will be presented before the magistrate today.

All three attackers were apprehended at the scene after they voluntarily turned themselves in. They have been kept in the custody of the police and questioned.
As per the law, any criminal caught in this manner has to be presented before the remand magistrate within 24 hours.

The Uttar Pradesh Police imposed Section 144 across the state in the wake of the incident and security was beefed up at key public installations and areas deemed sensitive.

Days after Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, the mafia-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

Regular police patrolling has been happening in the area in the wake of the brazen killings.

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Atiq Ahmed was accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, as well as in the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP leader’s murder, in February this year.

As many as three people were arrested, informed the police at a hurried press briefing on Saturday night after ganglord-turned-politician and his brother were shot dead in full media glare.

“Three people have been arrested and are being questioned. A journalist was also injured as he fell down and a constable sustained a bullet injury,” Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday imposed Section 144 of CrPC in all the districts, in the aftermath of the killings, officials informed.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath also gave instructions for the formation of a three-member judicial commission.

“UP CM Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the Prayagraj incident. He immediately called a high-level meeting and ordered a high-level inquiry into the whole matter. He also gave instructions for the formation of a three-member judicial commission (Judicial Inquiry Commission) in the matter,” the officials said.

A forensic team arrived at the scene of the shooting to collect samples.

Chief Minister Adityanath, in a late-night meeting, instructed state police officers to be on high alert and ensure law and order are maintained across the state.

“UP CM Yogi Adityanath has instructed the police to be on alert, ensure that peace, law and order are maintained in the state and the public doesn’t face any trouble,” read a statement by the Chief Ministe’s Office. (ANI)

Atiq’s Hearing In Prayagraj Court Today

By LokMarg 28th March 2023

The family of Umesh Pal, the lawyer who was abducted and killed, on Tuesday, said that they want the mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, a prime accused in the case to be given the death sentence stating that they want his “empire of terror to end”.

“…We don’t have the strength to fight a case in the time to come. He (Atiq ahmed) should be sentenced to death by hanging. If he is sentenced to life imprisonment, he can do anything from jail. He got my son killed from jail. He won’t let us live if he remains there…” Umesh Pal’s mother Shanti Devi told ANI ahead of a hearing of the case in Prayagraj court
Umesh Pal’s widow Jaya Pal said, “I hope court sentences him to death by hanging. If he lives, perhaps we won’t be able be alive. Maybe it would be us next. If he is gone only then will terror be gone…”

“I want Atiq Ahmed’s empire to end, I don’t want him to be alive. I urge the court to give him a death sentence,” she said.

Meanwhile, security has been deployed outside the residence of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj.

The five time MLA Atiq Ahmed was brought to Prayagraj jail from Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail on Monday to be produced in Prayagraj Court today, which will deliver the verdict in the kidnapping case. All accused in the case, including mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s brother Ashraf, will be produced in court.

Ahmed is also an accused in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal. Umesh Pal, who was a prime witness in the Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 this year.

Ahmed is the main accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two security personnel were shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 this year.

District Bar Association, Prayagraj said that the hearing will not be held in any other cases except the Umesh Pal abduction case today in the MP-MLA court of Prayagraj.

“A letter was written to Minister of District Advocates Association by Presiding Officer of MP MLA Court. A request also has been made to pronounce a verdict on March 28 itself,” the Association said.

Security has also been increased outside Naini jail in Prayagraj and a heavy deployment of uniformed personnel was seen outside the jail premises today.

Ahmed was on Monday brought to Naini jail in Prayagraj from Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad by road covering a distance of over 1,300 kilometres in around 24 hours. He was escorted by a 45-member team of Uttar Pradesh police.

Judge of Special MP MLA Court Dr Dinesh Chandra Shukla will give a verdict in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case today. The court had reserved the verdict on March 17 after the completion of the hearing.

On 25 January 2005, BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered. Devilal Pal and Sandeep Yadav were also killed. Umesh Pal, the main witness in the Raju Pal murder case, was abducted on February 28, 2006.

Atiq Ahmed had allegedly abducted Umesh Pal from a Land Cruiser vehicle near Phansi Imli of the Dhumanganj police station area. Keeping him in his Chakia office, he was beaten up and electrocuted.

Atiq had made Umesh Pal give a written statement in his favor on March 1, 2006, that he was not present at the scene and did not want to testify.

Umesh Pal filed a case of kidnapping in Dhumanganj police station in July 2007 after the formation of the BSP government in Uttar Pradesh in 2007.

A case was registered against former MPs Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf, Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed alias Ansar Baba, Khan Soulat Hanif. Police has named Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed, Saulat Hanif, Javed, Farhan, Israr, Abid Pradhan, Ashiq Malli and Ejaz Akhtar as accused.

One of the accused Ansar Ahmed died. Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf and Farhan are in jail. The rest of the accused are out on bail.

In 2009, the court framed charge on the accused and the trial of the case began.

In 2016, in this case, an attempt was made to throw Umesh Pal from the fourth floor of the court premises to make him withdraw.

An FIR has been registered in this matter at the Colonelganj police station. Various applications were filed on behalf of the accused to stop the trial of the case.

Umesh Pal filed an application in the High Court demanding early settlement of the case. Allahabad High Court ordered to complete the hearing of the case in two months by March 16, 2023.

During the trial, the prosecution produced 8 witnesses and the defence produced 50 witnesses.

Umesh Pal was murdered on February 24 after returning from defending this case.

In the Umesh Pal kidnapping case, an FIR has been registered in the Dhumanganj police station under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 364 A, 341, 342, 504, 506, 120 B and 7 CLA Act. (ANI)

Manik Saha: Man Who Steered BJP To Power In Tripura Again

By LokMarg 7th March 2023

Manik Saha, a dentist-turned-politician who steered the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to come to power in Tripura for a consecutive term, is all set to become the Chief Minister of the northeast state for the second time.

Prior to becoming the Chief Minister, Saha was a Rajya Sabha MP and chief of the party in the state.

The change of guard took place last year when Saha replaced Biplab Kumar Deb to steer the party in the Assembly polls amid a multi-cornered contest in the northeast state.

Saha, a dental surgeon, joined the BJP in 2016 after quitting Congress. He was made party chief in 2020 and elected to Rajya Sabha in March 2022.

After BJP’s victory in the recently-held Tripura Assembly polls, Manik Saha will take oath as the Chief Minister of the northeast state for the second time on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda will attend the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. The mega event will be held at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala.

Amit Shah and Nadda already arrived in Agartala on Tuesday. They were received at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport by Manik Saha.

Chief Minister-designate Manik Saha on Monday called on Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya to stake claim to form the government in the Northeast state.

Earlier on Monday, there was a general meeting of all the newly elected BJP MLAs who unanimously proposed the name of Manik Saha for the leader of the legislature party.

“My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi ji, we shall work together to build ‘Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura’ and ensure the welfare of all sections of people,” tweeted Saha after the meeting.

Manik Saha on Friday submitted his resignation to Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya at Raj Bhavan in Agartala. The Governor asked him to continue until the new government is sworn in.

Speaking to the media, Saha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the event on March 8.

“Last time, the oath-taking ceremony took place at Assam Rifles Ground and this time it will take place at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain present in the ceremony,” Saha told reporters.

He further said that BJP president JP Nadda will also visit the state to take part in the oath-taking ceremony. “Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also be there during the Oath taking ceremony along with various other leaders of the party,” he added.

He said several chief ministers of BJP-ruled states will also join the event.

BJP returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority.

According to the Election Commission of India, BJP won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat.

The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 per cent.

Chief Minister Saha defeated Congress’ Asish Kumar Saha from the Town Bordowali seat by a margin of 1,257 votes. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 31.

The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978.

The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.

The Left contested 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993 when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power. (ANI)

Raid On Atiq’s Residence In Lucknow, Seizes Two Luxury Cars

By LokMarg 1st March 2023

Prayagraj Police conducted a raid on gangster-turned-politician and former Samajwadi Party leader Atiq Ahmed’s residence in the Mahanagar area of Lucknow, seizing two luxury cars from the Universal Apartments, police sources said on Wednesday.

The raids were conducted on February 27 late night, sources said, adding that the action followed a shootout in which the prime witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, advocate Umesh Pal, was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.
Atiq Ahmed, along with his son Asad Ahmed and wife and BSP leader Shaista Parveen were named in the FIR in connection with the murder.

The police conducted the raid after receiving an input that some shooters had taken shelter in that apartment. However, they had left the place before the raid, police sources said on Wednesday.

The police, however, impounded two luxury cars and took them to the Mahanagar police station.

“STF and Prayagraj Police raided Universal Apartment flat number 202 and impounded two luxury vehicles, which were brought to Mahanagar police station. The vehicles are registered in the names of Atiq Ahmed’s family members,” a source said.

A guard at the building said the CCTV has been out of order for nearly two years.

“They left the flat on February 24 evening. There were 3 to 4 people. They (shooters) were not seen thereafter. The police took away the cars day before yesterday. Personnel from the STF and Mahanagar police station were here. Nobody was found in the flat,” a guard at the building said.

Earlier, in a major development in the Umesh Pal murder case, an accused was shot in an exchange of fire near the Nehru Park area in Prayagraj’s Dhoomanganj on Monday, a top police officer said.

The accused, identified as Arbaaz, was driving the car used in the murder of Umesh Pal, who was a prime witness in several cases, including the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.

The police said Arbaaz was injured and succumbed at the hospital.

“Accused Arbaaz was shot during the encounter that took place near Nehru Park in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj earlier today. He was driving the car that was used in the murder (of Umesh Pal) and was fired upon,” ADG law and order Prashant Kumar said on Monday.

“Arbaaz died during treatment at the hospital. The UP administration and the police have initiated a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters, and mafia. There is also a crackdown on those sheltering such people,” he added.

Umesh Pal and one of his two armed security escorts were shot dead in Prayagraj’s Sulem Saray area on February 24. Several rounds were fired and bombs hurled at Umesh and his gunners.

The incident came days after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashed out at the Samajwadi Party in the Assembly on February 25, saying that his government would destroy the mafia.

Describing the Prayagraj incident as sad, CM Yogi said “The government has taken cognisance of it and the results of our policy of zero tolerance for crime would be there for everyone to see very soon. No one should have any doubts about it.”

“Is it not true that the accused against whom the FIR has been lodged, was made an MP by Samajwadi Party? You raise and nurture all the criminals, garland them and then blame others when a crime takes place. By doing this, you are just making a spectacle of yourself,” the CM added, in an attack on SP members.

Meanwhile, SP MLA Pooja Pal (wife of Lt. BSP MLA Raju Pal) met CM Adityanath on Tuesday, demanding for Y+ security for herself and family. (ANI)