Facing arrest, ex-minister Manju Verma pleads with court not declare her absconder
Begusarai, Nov 6: Facing arrest in an Arms Act case after the alleged recovery of a huge cache of ammunition from her residence, former Bihar minister Manju Verma Tuesday moved a Begusarai court, pleading with it not to declare her an "absconder."
Verma had to resign as the social welfare minister from the Nitish Kumar Cabinet in August after reports suggested "close links" between her husband Chandrashekhar Verma and prime accused Brajesh Thakur in the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal.
Verma was subsequently booked in an Arms Act case, which was lodged after recovery of a huge cache of ammunition from her residence in Begusarai during a raid by the CBI sleuths, probing the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.
Verma's counsel Satya Narayan Mahto moved the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Prabhat Trivedi Tuesday soon after the police approached it to declare the former minister a "proclaimed offender" for evading the arrest.
A court declaring an accused a proclaimed offender entitles the police to paste a legal notice on the walls of the residence of accused, asking him or her to surrender before the court within a stipulated period, failing which the property of the accused is liable to be confiscated and auctioned.
The former minister's counsel submitted to the magisterial court that his client was not evading arrest but only following the due process of law to get a relief against arrest.
Mahto argued that the former minister was not an absconder but had approached the Supreme Court to seek bail in the case after the Patna High Court had turned down her anticipatory bail plea on October 9.
The Supreme Court, however, had pulled up the Bihar Police on October 30 for not arresting Verma till then, despite dismissal of her anticipatory bail plea by the high court.
The next day the apex court bench was informed that the former minister was in "hiding".
The Begusarai court subsequently issued an arrest warrant against Verma on October 31.
Over 30 girls and women were allegedly raped and sexually abused at the shelter home in Muzaffarpur and it had come to light that Chandrashekhar Verma had spoken to Thakur several times between January and June.
An FIR was lodged on May 31 against 11 people, including Thakur, who was running the shelter home. The probe into the case was later handed ober to the CBI by the Bihar government.
An FIR was lodged against Manju Verma under Arms Act in August at Cheria Bariarpur police station of Begusarai district after the seizure of about 50 live cartridges from her residence.
The seizure was made by the CBI raids at Verma's family residences in Patna and Begusarai during its probe into the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.
On October 25, the apex court had asked the Bihar government and the CBI to explain why there was a delay in tracing whereabouts of Chandrashekhar Verma, who is wanted for alleged illegal possession of ammunition in large quantity.
Chandrashekhar Verma surrendered before the Begusarai court on October 29.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
