MP businessman, wife die by suicide, alleging ED harassment; Agency denies claims
Bhopal: The deaths of businessman Manoj Parmar and his wife Neha Parmar, who were found hanging in their home in Ashta, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday, have triggered a heated political debate. A purported suicide note, which surfaced on social media, alleges harassment by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and pressure from BJP leaders, further intensifying the row.
The suicide note, addressed to several prominent figures, including the President of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urges Gandhi and other Congress leaders to ensure the safety of the deceased couple's children. The note accuses the ED and BJP of targeting the family due to their political association with the Congress. Manoj Parmar’s children had supported Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra by gifting their piggybank, which the Congress has cited as a reason for the alleged harassment.
Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Kamal Nath and state president Jitu Patwari, have claimed that the deaths are not suicides but "state-sponsored murders." Nath alleged that the ED and BJP government harassed Parmar to force him to join the BJP. Patwari visited the family and vowed to support them. He further accused investigative agencies of being misused to intimidate political opponents.
In response, Madhya Pradesh BJP media in-charge Ashish Agrawal condemned the Congress for politicising the incident. He accused Congress leaders of exploiting the tragedy for political gains and urged them to understand Parmar's legal history before making allegations.
The ED, in a statement, denied allegations of harassment and termed the deaths "unfortunate." The agency stated that searches were conducted on December 5 at four locations linked to Parmar and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with a bank fraud case. The ED claimed to have recovered incriminating documents, frozen a bank balance of ₹3.5 lakh, and identified four immovable properties linked to the case.
The investigation stems from a CBI FIR against Parmar and a senior Punjab National Bank (PNB) manager, accusing them of availing loans worth ₹6 crore under government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Employment Generation Programme and Chief Minister Yuva Udyami Yojana. The ED alleges that the funds were diverted into personal accounts and withdrawn in cash to invest in properties.
Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Akash Amalkar confirmed that a typed suicide note in the form of an application was recovered. However, he refrained from disclosing further details, citing the ongoing investigation. Statements from the grieving family are yet to be recorded.
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Steel mirrors deployed in Mysuru to discourage public urination
Mysuru (PTI): Fed up with people relieving themselves along roadsides, the Mysuru City Corporation has adopted a unique strategy to curb the practice and promote civic sense by installing reflective steel mirrors along pavements, officials said on Friday.
In what officials described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation installed stainless steel sheets with a mirror finish along an 80-metre stretch opposite the Mysuru Suburban Bus Stand.
Officials said the reflective sheets are intended to confront anyone attempting to urinate in public with their own reflection, thereby discouraging the act psychologically.
“The idea is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, prevent public nuisance, and promote civic sense. It is a simple yet psychological approach that encourages self-awareness through reflection,” officials added.
Soon after the mirrors were installed, videos of the initiative went viral on social media, with many people appreciating the administration’s innovative attempt to address public urination. At the same time, some users pointed out the lack of basic civic sense among people.
Several social media users also suggested that more public toilets, maintained in a hygienic condition, were needed to further discourage open urination.
Explaining how the idea originated, Nitesh Patil, Administrator and Regional Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation, told PTI that despite a public toilet being located next to the bus stand, many people continued to urinate in the open.
Even fines and warnings failed to deter them from relieving themselves against vacant compound walls, leaving behind a foul smell.
“One of our engineers came up with this idea, and we decided to implement it. The initiative has received a very positive response from the public, social media, and the press. We are now planning to identify more such locations in the city and install similar reflectors,” he said.
According to him, to ensure that the installation is both effective and visually appealing, LED lighting that switches on along with the streetlights has also been added, causing the stretch to glow at night and enhancing the city’s appearance.
Patil said the initiative had helped create civic awareness while also beautifying the city.
“We want our city to be clean and hygienic. We aspire to become the cleanest city in the country,” he added, recalling that Mysuru secured third place nationally in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024–25 last year.
