Jharkhand government today rejected Congress MLA Nirmala Devi's demand to drop the Crime Control Act (CCA) slapped against her husband and former minister Yogendra Sao and informed the Assembly that it was the erstwhile UPA government which had removed Sao as minister after he faced criminal charges.
"When such serious incidents come up before the government, it becomes necessary to act upon," Rural Development Minister Nilkanth Singh Munda said.
Munda was replying on behalf of the government following the demand raised by Devi and supported by the Opposition to drop CCA.
Reminding the opposition that Sao was even 'removed' by the Hemant Soren government (on September 12, 2014), Munda said Sao is in Hazaribagh jail now, facing charges under several IPC sections, including 307 and the Arms Act, after being charged with protecting a criminal outfit, murder, extortion and kidnapping.
Cases against Sao were lodged in nine police stations from 2007 to till this year, Munda said.
Refuting charges by Leader of Opposition and JMM leader Hemant Soren that the state government action appeared prompted by political rivalry, Munda said it was he (Soren) who had removed Sao from his Cabinet last year.
He said one cannot carry illegal arms and protect criminal elements in the name of demonstrations.
Earlier in the day, Speaker Dinesh Oraon rejected the adjournment motion brought by the Congress against the CCA charge brought against Sao after he led an agitation in Hazaribagh district's Barkagaon area in connection with displacement demand.
The Speaker, however, said he would ask the government to respond on the issue.
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Congress MLA Nirmala Devi claimed her husband had faced four violations in connection with Model Code of Conduct and another four related to demonstrations, which did not invite registering of the CCA.
Supporting Devi, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) MLA Pradip Yadav said barring the Arms Act and IPC 307, all other sections slapped against Sao were not serious offences.
"All of us here are facing such charges," Yadav said.
Challenging the CCA against party leader Sao, former Speaker and Congress MLA Alamgir Alam alleged it was a conspiracy against Sao.
