Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh), May 27 (PTI) A revenue official on Wednesday accused BJP MLA Ramkumar Toppo and his supporters of assaulting him in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, police said.
The alleged incident took place after Toppo’s cousin accused Rajapur Nayab (deputy) Tehsildar Tushar Manik of misbehaving with her when she visited his office for some work, an allegation he denied.
Toppo, who represents Sitapur assembly constituency in the district, was unavailable for comment.
Surguja Collector Ajeet Vasant said both sides have lodged complaints against each other.
Toppo informed him over phone about the alleged misconduct by the nayab tehsildar earlier in the day, the collector said, adding that he then directed Sitapur Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Fagesh Sinha to visit the spot and give him a report.
“The nayab tehsildar and the SDM informed me that the nayab tehsildar had been assaulted…. Complaints have been lodged by both the sides and police will take further action after an investigation,” he added.
Talking to reporters, Manik said a supporter of the MLA called him on Sunday regarding the issuance of a ‘shodh kshamta praman patra’ (solvency certificate) required for parole-related formalities of prisoners.
On Monday and Tuesday he was unwell, and resumed office on Wednesday, he said.
An elderly woman visited his office on Wednesday with documents related to the certificate, but the required form accompanying the jail department letter was incomplete, Manik said.
“I told the woman to get it filled. Later another woman came and insisted that I sign the document immediately. I told her that my reader was absent and would return the next day, after which the signing process could be completed properly,” he said.
The official denied the allegation of misbehaviour.
The MLA’s personal assistant called him later and asked him to meet the legislator in Rajapur, so he went there with SDM Sinha, the official said.
“The MLA was standing with 10-20 supporters. Some of his supporters started assaulting me. The MLA then pulled me out. He called the woman who is said to be his cousin. Then the MLA also assaulted me. The SDM intervened and rescued me,” Manik alleged.
He was going to register an FIR against the MLA and his supporters at Ambikapur police station, Manik said.
SDM Fagesh Sinha also confirmed while talking to reporters that Manik was assaulted by the MLA and his supporters.
Seema Dhanki, the MLA’s cousin, told. reporters that she had applied for the solvency certificate on May 14 and visited the tehsil office two or three times.
“When I visited the office today, Manik spoke to me rudely and refused to do the work. He pushed me, abused me, used casteist remarks and behaved inappropriately,” she alleged, adding that she had lodged a complaint with the police.
MLA Toppo could not be contacted for his response despite repeated attempts. PTI COR TKP KRK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.