Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren today defended Jagannath Mahto, the JMM candidate from Giridih Lok Sabha seat, who is a co-accused in the lynching case of a youth at a 'people's court', and said a political conspiracy has been hatched against him.
"It is a political conspiracy," Soren said when asked about the incident involving Mahto, a JMM MLA from the Dumri constituency.
"Why is he being implicated at this juncture?" Soren questioned referring to the ensuing elections and said law would take its own course in connection with the case.
Acting on a complaint, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer P K Jajoria had yesterday directed the police to take legal action against Mahto, an accused in the lynching of a youth at a 'people's court'.
Jajoria had said a direction to Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar was issued after the Election Commission received a complaint against Mahto, who is facing murder charges along with his brother and seven others.
According to an FIR, nine persons are accused of convening a 'people's court' where 22-year-old Santosh Pandey was brutally beaten up on March 20 at Narah village in Bokaro district over an alleged love affair.
Pandey later on succumbed to his injuries in a hospital.
Seven persons, including Mahto's brother Baijnath, had been arrested in connection with the case and sent to judicial custody.
Mahto and another accused, Kewal Puri, were yet to be arrested.
Mahto, a sitting JMM MLA, filed his nomination papers from the Giridih Lok Sabha seat on March 21.
