As was expected after name of Ashok Sundi surfaced as one of the kidnappers of local BJP leader Madan Singh’s son and two of his friends, the saffron party came all guns blazing against the Congress equating it with a safe hideout for criminals in the State.
After the kidnapped trio recovered from Chaibasa on Friday-Saturday midnight last week, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said on Sunday that the State felt ashamed to see such a face of a Congress leader.
“Sundi was among the prime conspirators of this kidnapping case. Moreover, all three boys were kept in his house itself before they were safely freed by the police. Ironically, at one hand Congress raises questions over law and order situation in State. On the other hand, their leaders are found directly involved in such big cases. Everyone knows that Sundi is not a small time leader, as the Congress had awarded him with tickets to contest elections from Chaibasa Assembly Constituency. This proves that being morally dented is not a crime in Congress,” said Shahdeo on Sunday.
He went on saying that this was not the first time that a Congress leader was found involved in such a crime. “Prior to this too, one Congress man, Simdega District Congress secretary Kuldeep Tirky was arrested in connection with taking law and order in his hands and scuffle in Ranchi this very year. Congress must cleanse its house before questioning Government over law and order,” added Shahdeo.
Interestingly, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kuldeep Dwivedi has on Sunday named Sundi as one of the key conspirators in kidnapping of Chutia residents Shivam Singh (16) who is the son of BJP leader Madan Singh, Gaurav Singh (15) and Shanky (23) on September 5 from lalalong area of Nagri who have been freed from kidnappers on September 23 midnight from Goilkera-Patahatu Road in Chaibasa when kidnappers were in process of relocating trio to another safe-hide out after they feared being caught after remaining static to one location for over two weeks.
However, Dwivedi downplayed Sundi as a noticeable Congress leader saying that he must have lost his say in party after finding himself nowhere in elections he contested, and even party must have forgotten this man as one of its faces in the region.
Dwivedi said on Sunday that at least 19 persons were involved in kidnapping the trio in which 14 including Aalia, who was used as honey-trap, were under police net so far. “Shivam was the only target for kidnapping. But kidnappers found him accompanied with his cousin Gaurav and distant relative Shanky also, and were left with no other alternative to carry them along. The entire planning was done by Chandan Sonar gang and his right man Rakesh, both absconding as of now, and their local aids in Ranchi and around and Chaibasa. We are sure of grabbing the last accused soon,” said the SSP.
Denying any prior connection of the kidnappers with family members of any of the victim, Dwivedi said that it was purely a kidnapping case in which Shivam had been stalked and his movements were monitored from August. He appeared an easy trap due to various reasons,” said Dwivedi.
officials showing arrested kidnappers to the media persons during a press conference at Police line in Ranchi on Sunday. Pix by