Sikkim Assembly elections: SKM wins 7 seats, leading in 24
Gangtok (PTI): The ruling SKM won seven Assembly seats and was leading in 24 other constituencies, the Election Commission of India said on Sunday.
Counting of votes for 32 assembly seats in Sikkim began at 6 am on Sunday, amid tight security arrangements, officials said.
Samdup Lepcha of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won the Lachen Mangan Assembly seat defeating his nearest SDF rival Hishey Lachungpa by 851 votes, according to the Election Commission of India.
SKM candidate Puran Kumar Gurung won the Chujachen seat defeating his nearest rival Mani Kumar Gurung by 3,334 votes.
Pintso Namgyal Lepcha of SKM won the Djongu Assembly seat defeating his nearest rival Sonam Gyatso Lepcha of SDF by 5007 votes..
Chief Minister and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) candidate Prem Singh Tamang was leading by around 7,044 votes over his nearest SDF rival Som Nath Poudyal from the Rhenock assembly constituency, while in the Soreng Chakung Assembly constituency Tamang is leading by 2,052 votes over his nearest SDF rival A D Subba.
Former CM and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) supremo Pawan Kumar Chamling was trailing behind SKM candidate Raju Basnet by 1,852 votes in Namcheybung seat. In the Poklok Kamrang Assembly constituency Chamling was trailing behind Bhoj Raj Rai of SKM by 3,063 votes.
Former India Football captain and SDF candidate Bhaichung Bhutia was trailing behind SKM rival Riksal Dorjee Bhutia by 4,012, votes in the Barfung Assembly seat.
Sikkim BJP unit president Dilli Ram Thapa was trailing behind his SKM rival Kala Rai by 2,568 votes in the Upper Burtuk Assembly constituency.
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'Godman' Kharat held in 8th sexual exploitation case; court denies police remand, sends him to jail
Nashik (PTI): Police took custody of self-proclaimed godman-cum-astrologer Ashok Kharat in an eighth case related to sexual exploitation of women and produced him before a Nashik district court which sent him to jail till May 12 after rejecting the plea for his police remand on Thursday.
On April 29, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police in north Maharashtra filed a request application in the court demanding Kharat's custody in the eighth case.
After the court granted them the necessary permission, the SIT took custody of Kharat, who was in jail in connection with the seventh case of sexual exploitation registered against him.
The 'godman', named in a dozen FIRs related to rape and financial fraud, was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate B N Ichpurani in the eighth case through video conferencing due to security reasons.
The eighth case related to Kharat allegedly sexually exploiting a woman who had approached him in search of solutions to her family problems, according to police.
During the hearing, the prosecution demanded police custody of the accused in the latest case.
However, the defence strongly opposed the demand and argued that the SIT was giving same reasons for police custody every time and there was no strong reason for accepting their plea.
The court accepted the argument put forth by the defence and remanded Kharat to judicial custody till May 12 in the eighth case.
The SIT will produce Kharat in the court on Friday again and seek his police custody in the ninth case. As the self-styled godman has been granted judicial custody in the eighth case, he will be sent to Nashik Road Central Jail and the SIT will take his custody from there.
Meanwhile, Kharat's judicial custody in the fourth case ended on Thursday. On April 18, the accused was remanded to judicial custody till April 30 in the fourth case of sexual exploitation of women.
In a related development, the SIT conducted a search at Kharat's office in the 'Canada Corner' area of Nashik city on Wednesday. A 'panchnama' (record of search and seizure proceedings) was conducted and the office was locked and sealed again.
Kharat, a well-heeled man with political connections, was arrested for the first time on March 18 after a woman alleged he had repeatedly raped her for three years.
He is accused of sexually exploiting several women by claiming to have divine powers and knowledge of black magic, and also committing large-scale financial fraud.
The SIT is conducting a probe into 12 cases of sexual exploitation and financial fraud registered against the astrologer in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts.
