Case filed against MLA, rebel’s father for poll offences, bribery

Shimla: On Sunday, the Himachal Pradesh Police filed a case against an independent Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Hamirpur, Ashish Sharma, and the father of a now-disqualified Congress MLA from Gagret, Chetanya Sharma, among others. The case pertains to alleged “electoral offences” and bribery during the recent Rajya Sabha elections, where six Congress MLAs voted for the BJP candidate.

The case was registered following a complaint by Congress MLAs Sanjay Avasthi and Bhuvneshwar Gaur. Ashish and Chetanya were among the nine MLAs, including six Congress rebels and three independents, who supported the BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha elections. The role of Chetanya’s father, a retired bureaucrat, remains unclear.

This incident has sparked a crisis in the state’s Congress government, which seems to have lost its Assembly majority.

Adding to the ongoing political crisis in Himachal Pradesh, the two Congress MLAs filed a police complaint on Sunday, seeking an investigation into “electoral offences”, bribery, and criminal conspiracy since the Rajya Sabha elections held on February 27. This move has elicited strong reactions from the MLAs. Rajinder Rana, one of the six Congress rebels, warned the Chief Minister (CM) to be prepared for future consequences. He criticized the CM’s approach, stating that registering false complaints would not win hearts and that such politics had compelled the MLAs to vote for the BJP.

The two Congress legislators have called for an investigation into charges of money trading, misuse of helicopter and security forces, and criminal misconduct. They claim to have direct evidence that the BJP is funding transportation via helicopters and accommodation in five-star properties in Haryana and Uttarakhand.

The legislators cited the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in the Sita Soren vs Union of India Case in their complaint. They argue that there is ample evidence of BJP legislators accompanying the Congress rebels and Independents.

Sanjay Avasthi, Chief Parliament Secretary, said that such illegal activities are unheard of in Devbhoomi Himachal Pradesh. He pointed out that even the Supreme Court has ruled that elected representatives are not immune to criminal proceedings for accepting money and favours.

Shimla Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, confirmed that a complaint was received from two Congress MLAs. A case has been registered under sections 171 c and e (undue influence on elections and bribery) and 120 b (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and sections 7 and 8 (public servant taking undue advantage) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Investigations have commenced.

The six Congress MLAs who cross-voted in favour of the BJP have been disqualified for defying a whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the government. They have subsequently moved the Supreme Court. The three independents include Ashish Sharma, Hoshiyar Singh, and K L Thakur.

Currently, the nine MLAs and two BJP legislators, guarded by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), are in Rishikesh in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand. They allege pressure from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The MLAs have criticised the current Congress government as the most unpopular and inexperienced to date. They claim that they are under immense pressure to return to the Congress fold. In a joint statement issued on Sunday, these MLAs said they are fighting a battle of self-respect and questioned the mindset of the chief minister.

Sukhu had previously compared the six Congress rebels to “black snakes” and “shepherds” during public meetings. Sudhir Sharma was removed from the post of secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), while Rajinder Rana resigned from the post of working president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee.

Two of the three independent MLAs had earlier stated that the pressure tactics targeting the businesses of independent MLAs and their families will not save the government. They criticised the chief minister for his vindictive attitude and urged him to refrain from acting out of vengeance. with agency inputs