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Wednesday, Apr 08, 2009
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Front Page

FIR against Lalu

K. Balchand

“I meant crushing Varun under roller of law”

Lalu Prasad

PATNA: The Kishanganj police on Tuesday denied issuing arrest warrants against Railway Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

A section of the electronic media had reported that warrants were issued, creating a flutter in political circles here.

Superintendent of Police Ram Narain Singh said that only an FIR had been lodged against Mr. Prasad for his alleged remarks against BJP leader Varun Gandhi. The charges made were under bailable sections and no arrest warrants were issued against him.

Kishanganj District Magistrate Ferak Ahmed had taken notice of the speech in which Mr. Prasad had said that had he been the Union Home Minister he would have crushed Mr. Gandhi under a roller for his alleged remarks made during his election speeches in Pilibhit.

After viewing the CD Mr. Ahmed regarded Mr. Prasad’s speech — at a rally in favour of his party nominee and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Md. Taslimuddin — as an attempt to disturb communal harmony and divide society. It was forwarded to the Election Commission.

Subsequently, SDO Khursid Alam lodged an FIR with the Kishanganj police against Mr. Prasad under Section 153 of the IPC and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, charging the Railway Minister with wantonly resorting to provocation with the intent to cause riot.

The electronic media claimed on Tuesday that arrest warrants had been issued against Mr. Prasad. Mr. Singh said that he was inquiring into the matter. He pointed out that the offences under the sections were bailable.

Mr. Prasad, however, clarified that he had only targeted the fundamentalist forces and underlined his commitment to bulldoze them for the unity and integrity of the country. He said that he would fight such forces till the last drop of his blood.

(PTI reported that at an election meeting at Garwah in Jharkhand, Mr. Prasad said:

“What I meant was crushing him under the roller of law had I been the Home Minister.”)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that Mr. Prasad’s statement was condemnable and underscored the latter’s frustration.

The Garwah police also lodged an FIR against Mr. Prasad for landing his helicopter at the election venue instead of at the helipad. Pilot Jagjit Singh too has been cited as an accused.

EC to look into issue

New Delhi Special Correspondent reports:

The Election Commission said it would look into the video footage of Mr. Prasad’s rally. Asked whether the Commission would order Mr. Prasad’s arrest, Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters that it would not answer speculative questions.

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