Raman, Jogi father-son behind fixing of Antagarh bypoll: Pawar

Manturam Pawar, the Congress candidate in the Antagarh assembly bypoll in 2014 in Chhattisgarh who abruptly withdrew from the fray, on Saturday alleged that the election had been fixed by former chief ministers Raman Singh and Ajit Jogi and former MLA Amit Jogi.

Raman Singh denied his allegations while the other two were unavailable for comments, being in hospitals.

In a statement recorded before a magistrate here under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, (which is admissible evidence during a trial) Pawar narrated how he was allegedly offered inducements as well as pressurised for withdrawing, leading to an easy victory of the BJP's nominee.

He levelled serious allegations against former Chief Minister and now BJP national vice president Raman Singh, another former CM Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi, former PWD Minister Rajesh Munat and two others - Ameen Menon and Firoz Siddiqui, said to be then close aides of Jogi.

As per Pawar's affidavit before the court, on August 28, 2014 (ahead of the by-poll), Menon and Siddiqui met him and said he should talk to Ajit Jogi as Ajit Jogi, Amit Jogi and Raman Singh had decided that he would withdraw his nomination for Rs 7 crore.

"I asked them how they can fix such a deal. They made me to talk to Raman Singh (then CM) over phone, who told me that I have to do what they were saying. I felt very disheartened and was uncomfortable with whatever was going on.

"Then, Menon and Siddiqui also warned me if I did not withdraw from the fray then Singh will not spare my family," he alleged.

On August 29, 2014, Menon and his accomplices forcibly took him to collector's office in Kanker district and forced him to withdraw the nomination, and then held him "hostage" for three days, Pawar said.

"Ajit Jogi had also threatened me of dire consequences if I refused to withdraw," he alleged.

"On September 2, 2014, Menon forcibly brought me to Raipur...Later the deal was fixed at the bungalow of then PWD minister Rajesh Munat," Pawar claimed.

Raman Singh refuted the allegations, calling it the Congress government's "badla-pur" (vendetta) politics.

"I had nothing to with Antagarh by-poll episode. I am being dragged into it as part of a political conspiracy. This is part of the Congress' strategy in view of Dantewada by-poll