The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) officials on Tuesday said that Congress MLA from Rajkot East Indranil Rajyaguru was prima facie one of the suspects in the alleged circulation of pamphlets making personal attacks on senior BJP leader Vijay Rupani, who is contesting Rajkot West bypoll. However, the MLA termed the development as a political stunt by the “BJP and its police” on the eve of polling day with an aim to tarnish the image of the Congress. "That the MLA was prima facie involved in the incident is the finding of investigation done by ACP (crime) so far. There were 17 phone calls between the MLA and Tushar Nandani, the man named in the complaint. There were 11 phone calls between the MLA and one Jaga Mori. We have also recorded statement of Suresh Rana who is working at Nil Ka Dhaba. He has said that there was a meeting of these persons at the MLA’s old residence after completion of the operation,” city police commissioner Mohan Jha told The Indian Express. The DCB booked Nandani and others for promoting enmity between different groups after Rajkot city BJP president Bhikha Vasoya filed a complaint on Sunday. Vasoya sought police action against the accused after pamphlets attacking Rupani’s character were allegedly circulated with morning newspapers in some parts of the city on Saturday. However, Rajyaguru, who owns Nil Ka Dhaba, said that the police action was a conspiracy. “First, our election office was set on fire and then a BJP worker was arrested from office. To save its face, this is a conspiracy of the BJP and its police to defame Congress a day before the polling. They have not investigated the case of burning of the Congress office. They have not even reached the accused in the (present) case and are saying that I am a suspect,” the MLA said. Polling for bypoll to Rajkot West Assembly constituency is scheduled to be held on Wednesday. Congress has fielded former minister Jayanti Kalariya to take on Rupani for the prestigious seat from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had contested his first election in 2002. BJP veteran Vaju Vala had vacated the constituency in August this year to become Governor of Karnataka.
