Chhattisgarh minister sends notice to Congress legislator

RAIPUR - A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister in Chhattisgarh has sent a legal notice to a Congress legislator after the latter alleged that he had tried to protect an accused in a murder case.

The notice was sent by Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ramvichar Netam to Congress legislator T.S. Singhdev after a bitter war of words on the issue inside the assembly.

Netam has even threatened to initiate criminal proceedings if the latter fails to apologise within 15 days.

The two, who hail from the states northern tribal stronghold of Surguja, exchanged bitter allegations inside the state assembly Dec 7 minutes after the speaker adjourned the house.

The notice sent by lawyer Ramakant Mishra said Singhdev accused his client Netam of trying to protect a suspect in the sensational murder of schoolboy, Ritik, who was abducted and beheaded recently.

The notice said the Congress legislator charged the minister with making a call to Surguja district police chief with the purpose of allowing the accused to escape to bordering Jharkhand.

“The Congress MLAs allegation was covered by the media and it harmed the reputation and status of my client among the masses. The allegations were extremely serious and derogatory and shake the confidence and faith of the public in my client as a cabinet minister,” the notice read.

The notice was summed up with a demand to “publish or tender unconditional apology within 15 days, failing which, my client shall be compelled to initiate a civil suit and also a criminal case under Section 500 of the IPC”.

Congress MLA Singhdev was not available for comment.