Police recommend action against Rajgarh collector for

A police inquiry report has indicted and recommended action against Rajgarh district collector Nidhi Nivedita for allegedly slapping an assistant sub-inspector of police (ASI) during a pro-CAA rally last month, a Madhya Pradesh Police officer said on Wednesday.

He said the report has been forwarded by the Madhya Pradesh Police Headquarters (PHQ) to the Home department.

"We have forwarded the inquiry report to the Home Department to take the action it deems fit against the collector," the officer posted in the PHQ here told PTI.

The concerned ASI had complained to Rajgarh SP that the collector had slapped him on January 19 when he was posted on law and order duty during the rally, he said.

"Rajgarh Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) was asked to inquire into the complaint. The SDOP recorded statements of people present at the spot and handed over his report to the SP, who forwarded it to the PHQ," the officer said.

He said the charges levelled by the ASI "have been found right" during the inquiry.

Home Minister Bala Bachchan could not be contacted for his comment over the report.

The controversy had erupted after Nivedita and additional district collector Priya Verma took on some protesters on January 19 for allegedly 'misbehaving' with them while trying to take out a pro-CAA rally by defying prohibitory orders in Biaora town in Rajgarh district.

In the video clips of this incident, Nivedita can be purportedly seen slapping a man and Verma taking on some others who were part of the crowd.

Nivedita had said she had "reacted" only after the man "abused" her, but denied slapping him.

Verma had said some men from the crowd misbehaved with herself and the collector.

The ruling Congress had claimed that those misbehaved with the two women officials were members of the BJP while the latter had demanded registration of an FIR against Nivedita and Verma.