Former Chief Minister and JVM leader Babulal Marandi on Friday released a video CD and telephonic conversations allegedly featuring Chief Minister Raghubar Das, ADG (Special Branch) Anurag Gupta and political advisor to the CM Ajay Kumar with Congress leader and husband of Barkagaon MlA Nirmala Devi, Yogender Sao.
Bringing out the evidence before the media on Friday, Marandi charged the Government with misusing money and power to win votes in the favour of second BJP backed candidate Mahesh Poddar despite the fact that the party had inadequate number of votes in his favour.
The video recorded on June 10, a day before the June 11 election, shows the Chief Minister arriving at the place of Yogender Sao and involving in a 2.5 minute long chat with him. Though, voice of Das is not clear in the video, Sao, who has supposedly stage-managed the entire sting operation by putting hidden camera probably somewhere on his headgear, is clearly heard.
Sao in the conversation is heard referring to criminal cases against him and his MlA wife at Barkagaon and raids being conducted.
The former MlA seems to be pleading the CM to relax the “illegal cases” as a precondition to fall in line. He refereed to better compensation for the land acquired by the NPTC for the sake his political career and requested the CM to leave him undisturbed at Barkagaon Assembly constituency. The CM, in turn, is heard assuring better development plan for the area.
However, there are fairly long and repeated conversations between ADG Anurag Gupta and Sao on June 10 and 11. The ADG from a phone number—9471300008- reportedly of his staff Baidyanath Kumar and from— 9631464615 — and 7050911065 belonging to his cook Ashok called up Sao as many as 22 times in two days and is heard convincing Sao to follow the directions given.
The directions seemingly aimed to prevent Sao’s wife Nirmala Devi from voting in favour of the Opposition candidate Basant Soren and also in a sense bullied him for dire consequences if he declines.
In several other talks with the AGD, Sao is heard referring to ‘siege’ laid by Congress leaders, including Ajay Makan to check him from changing the camp. He also expressed apprehension that his party leaders have developed suspicion on him and are keeping close eye on his movement that is why he is unable to venture out for the meeting to seal the deal.
The exchange seems to be about arresting Sao’s MlA wife Nirmala Devi by divulging information about her whereabouts so that she cannot come and vote for the Opposition candidate. Notably, on the poll day, leader of the Opposition Hemant Soren was seen carrying Nirmala Devi in his official cavalcade to the polling booth apparently safeguarding her from probable arrest.
Another conversation features CM’s advisor Ajay Kumar who is heard pulling Sao in the favour of the Government and become a turncoat.
Terming the conversations genuine, Marandi referred it a clear case of abuse of power and sought resignation from the Chief Minister on moral grounds. He also demanded sacking of the ADG besides booking all those involved for criminal conspiracy.
“We had done earlier and will again approach the Election Commission and the Governor seeking their intervention into the matter. We also demand a CBI probe into the entire Rajya Sabha election and demand making the votes cast public,” said the JVM supremo.