Court rejects state govt’s plea to withdraw case against BSP leaders

Chauhan is MP from Ghosi,Rajendra Kumar is MLA from Mohammadabad constituency in Mau,and Ghoora Ram is MLA from Rasra in Ballia.

The case is presently being tried in the court of Additional District and Session Judge Praveen Kumar and the statements of witnesses are being recorded.

According to the prosecution,it was on August 5,1998,when Chauhan,a Rajya Sabha member then,and others had attacked magistrate Santosh Kumar Rai after he asked them to vacate the Mau PWD guest house as the Minister of Panchyati Raj BP Singh was to arrive there.

Later,Rai lodged an FIR against 13 persons at Kotwali,stating that he was assaulted and robbed of his gold chain.

Chauhan and his associates were booked for rioting,participating in an unlawful assembly,causing hurt,preventing a public servant from his duty,assault on public servant on duty,robbery and dacoity,intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace,criminal intimidation and the Arms Act.

One of the accused has since died.

Chauhan’s advocate Vinod Yadav said the case was politically motivated.

“When the FIR was lodged,there was a BJP government in the state and my client was Rajya Sabha member of the BSP,while Rajendra Kumar and Guru Ram were BSP workers,” he said.