Manjhi never stopped from having fruits at bunglow: Police

Facing flak over mangoes and litchis controversy, Bihar police today said the security of trees at chief minister's official bunglow was a normal security drill and refuted that former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was ever prevented from enjoying delicious fruits.
"Several security personnel are deployed for protection of Manjhi, his family members and the premises," Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Sunil Kumar told reporters.
Out of the posse of police personnel, one has been deputed for safeguarding mangoes, litchis and jackfruits from May 15 this year at 1 Anne Marg, he said.
"Last year also one security personnel was put up there for the same purpose from May 11 to July 31 (season for mango, litchi and jackfruit)," Kumar said.

"In our internal inquiry we have found out that no police person has ever stopped Manjhi and family members from consuming the fruits in the premises," the ADG said.
"Around 8-10 days back Manjhi and his family had tasted fruits of the trees at Anne Marg residence and nobody stopped them," Kumar added.

The ADG came before mediapersons in a bid to put a lid on the controversy raging over deployment of 24 policemen by Nitish Kumar government to allegedly prevent Manjhi and his family from having access to luscious mangoes and litchis at the bunglow which the former CM is yet to vacate after demitting office in February.

The ADG refused to give details about number of police personnel deployed at Anne Marg for security reasons.
Earlier, in the day Chief Minister Nitish Kumar termed the contoversy over mangoes and litchis as "petty" and had asked state police chief P K Thakur about the episode.
The DGP sought details about the event from Special Security Group (SSG) which entrusted with the duty to guard CM and ex-CMs.