Abetment to suicide, intimidation case against Gujarat BJP MP, his father

More than three months after a doctor from Veraval town in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district died allegedly by suicide, police have registered a case against BJP MP Rajesh Chudasama and his father on charges of abetment to suicide and criminal intimidation, an official said.

A first information report (FIR) under Indian Penal Code sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 506-2 (criminal intimidation) was registered on Monday against Junagadh Lok Sabha member Chudasama and his father Naranbhai, Veraval city police station's inspector S M Israni said.

No arrest has been made in the case yet, the official said.

Dr Atul Chag was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his home in Veraval town on February 12.

The FIR was registered on a complaint by his son Hitarth Chag.

Dr Chag, an MD, was a well-known doctor in the Veraval region. After his death, police found a one-line note blaming the MP and his father.

When the police refused to register a case against Chudasama and his father based on the "suicide" note, Hitarth filed a contempt petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking action against the cops.

However, the HC dismissed the petition earlier this month.

It was not immediately known what prompted the police to register the FIR now.

As per the FIR, the MP and his father had a close relationship with Dr Chag for the last 20 years and the duo borrowed nearly Rs 1.75 crore from the doctor in instalments since 2008 by winning his trust. They allegedly gave Dr Chag a few cheques.

However, when the MP and his father stopped responding to Dr Chag's repeated requests to return the money, the latter deposited one of the cheques of Rs 90 lakh in a bank, but it was dishonoured.

Days before Dr Chag's suicide, the duo allegedly abused him verbally and also threatened to kill Hitarth for demanding the money back, the FIR said.

The threat and the thought of losing money deeply upset the doctor, who took the extreme step out of shock and fear, the FIR added.