FIR against BJP leader, RTI activist for threatening woman cop

Chhattisgarh Police have registered an FIR against the chairman of a state-run communication research centre and a BJP spokesperson for allegedly threatening a woman police officer in Raipur, an official said on Sunday.

Based on a complaint filed by DD Nagar police station house officer Manjulata Rathore, the FIR was registered on Saturday against Kabir Sanchar Shodhpeeth's chairman Kunal Shukla, who is also an RTI activist, and state BJP spokesman Gaurishankar Srivas, he said.

The complainant alleged that Shukla and Srivas came to DD Nagar police station here on February 6 night and allegedly pressurised her to release a person, Ritesh Thakur (40), who was arrested in a cheque bounce case, Raipur's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Arif Sheikh told PTI.

WhenRathore told them that Thakur was arrested as per a court order, Shukla and Srivas allegedly threatened the police officer in her chamber to get her sacked and tarnish her image if she did not release the person, he said quoting the complaint.

After Rathore filed the police complaint on Saturday, a case was registered against Shukla and Srivas under Indian Penal Code Sections 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) and 506 (criminal intimidation), he said.

No arrest has been made in so far, Sheikh said, adding that an investigation is underway.

The state Congress government last month appointed RTI activist Shukla as chairman of the Kabir Sanchar Shodhpeeth, based at the Kushabhau Thakre University of Journalism and Mass Communication here.

Meanwhile, the two accused refuted the charges, claiming they were being falsely implicated by police with malafide intentions.

"The allegations are baseless as nothing like that happened at the police station. I had just asked the woman police officer to show the court's warrant (based on which arrest was made in cheque bounce case)," Shukla said.

"The police have lodged a false case possibly out of anger after they got a notice from the National Human Rights Commission, seeking reply from Raipur SSP over the brutal action taken against me while I was peacefully protesting in Raipur last year," he claimed.

Srivas also said he was being continuously targeted by police for questioning the state Congress government on several issues, and the latest FIR was the outcome of the same.