‘Even as US citizen, Jogi son was voter here’

Less than a month after he gave up US citizenship, Amit Jogi, son of former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi, finds himself in the midst of yet ano...

Less than a month after he gave up US citizenship, Amit Jogi, son of former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi, finds himself in the midst of yet another controversy. He faces charges of getting himself ‘‘fraudulently’’ enrolled as a voter in Chhattisgarh in 2003, while he was still a US citizen.

On July 26, Amit was granted Indian citizenship — a constitutional prerequisite for contesting elections. But, according to a complaint filed at Gaurrela police station under Bilaspur district, BJP’s Pendra unit chief Puran Chhabaria alleged that Amit was a registered voter in the Kota Assembly constituency in 2003. His name figured at serial no 823 on page 18 of the Sarbahar polling booth. ‘‘By this time, he had not given up his US citizenship,’’ he said.

Contacted in Delhi, Amit defended himself. ‘‘I really don’t know who got my name enrolled there. I never signed any paper or filled any form to get myself registered as a voter. I never went to cast my vote. It’s strange how the BJP is trying to humiliate someone who has just sacrificed US citizenship to become a citizen here.’’

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Yet, a determined Chhabaria contests Amit’s claim. He recalls raising objections to his enrollment as a voter on June 5, 2003. But it was due to strong political pressures that no cognizance was taken to these objections. ‘‘It’s a fraud and an act of criminal impropriety. I want the police to act on my complaint now,’’ the BJP leader demands and even threatens to start a stir if the police fail to act within a week.

Contacted over phone, SSP, Bilaspur, B.S. Maravi said: ‘‘The District Returning Officer is the only competent authority to recommend action. The police cannot act on its own on such complaints.’’

The Bilaspur Collector, Vikash Sheel, pleaded ignorance about Chhabaria’s complaint. ‘‘I returned from my leave this afternoon. I havn’t checked the papers about this complaint, thus I cannot respond to your query.’’

Amit — now set to launch his political career from Marwahi where bypolls are scheduled for November-December — had earlier faced similar charges of fraudulently securing an ST certificate to appear in the UPSC examination in 2001. There is also a CBI case registered against him in the cash-on-camera controversy for allegedly bribing BJP MLAs to scuttle formation of the Raman Singh government. He further faces allegations of involvement in the murder of NCP leader Ram Avtar Jaggi in Raipur in 2003.