After clean chit to Sisodia, MLA seeks fresh inquiry

BILASPUR: Residents of Bilha objected to clean chit being given to the then Bilha SDM Arjun Singh Sisodia in connection with a case pertaining to self-immolation by Congress leader Rajendra Tiwari outside Sisodia's office nine months ago. Expressing displeasure, Bilha MLA Siyaram Kaushik has demanded a fresh inquiry into the case.
Rajendra Tiwari, a local Congress leader, took the extreme step alleging mental harassment by Sisodia.A day later, Tiwari succumbed to injuries during treatment.
An intense agitation was launched following his death. Protesters demanded Sisodia's immediate arrest and a case of murder to be registered against him. Following the hue and cry over the incident, a magisterial inquiry was ordered.
The report of magisterial inquiry was submitted to district collector recently, in which Sisodia was given a clean chit. Bilha MLA Siyaram Kaushik along with a large number of his supporters and residents of Bilha approached the district collectorate and submitted a memorandum demanding a fresh inquiry into the matter. While submitting the memorandum to additional collector KD Kunjam, Kaushik alleged that the magisterial inquiry conducted by district panchayat CEO, JP Maurya is completely doubtful.
He stated that the inquiry officer did not take into consideration statements of witnesses and several other points raised against Sisodia. Kaushik stated that the inquiry officer gave a clean chit to Sisodia as the latter happens to be a relative of chief minister Dr Raman Singh. Manishankar Pandey, who accompanied Kaushik and also filed a petition in high court in this regard, alleged that during the course of inquiry, defence lawyers used to pressurise witnesses and the inquiry officer used to threaten them with jail term.
As a result, there is a doubt regarding impartiality of the inquiry. Pandey alleged that the inquiry was also delayed in order to benefit Sisodia.
Demanding a fresh inquiry, Kaushik said that the inquiry officer has brought himself under a cloud by giving Sisodia a clean chit in the case. Kaushik added that a massive agitation would be launched if the demand for a fresh inquiry into the case is not taken into consideration. On the other hand, inquiry officer JP Maurya said that all 678 witnesses were examined during the course of inquiry. Many of important witnesses turned hostile during inquiry and none of them could prove that the then Bilha SDM Arjun Singh Sisodia had either demanded bribe or had harassed Rajendra Tiwari.
Speaking about action taken against two clerks of Sisodia's office, Santosh and TN Dewangan, Maurya said that the two acted contrary to rules of the court.
The said clerks got the order sheet signed a day after the scheduled hearing of Tiwari's case, in which he did not appear. Maurya said that apart from being suspended, the two clerks have also been removed from court's work.