india

Updated: Dec 26, 2019 12:57 IST

The police on Wednesday registered an FIR against outgoing Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das allegedly for using abusive language against Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) working president and the state’s chief minister designate Hemant Soren during election campaign.

The police registered the FIR under Sections 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The case has been registered with Mahijam police station in Jamtara district and investigation has been handed over to SDPO Arvind Upadhyay. HT has inspected the copy of FIR.

Earlier last week, Soren had lodged a complaint against Das with the SC/ST police station in Dumka in this regard. Dumka police station, however, forwarded the complaint to Jamtara’s Mahijam police station as the offence was allegedly committed there.

Soren, in his complaint, had alleged that Das had made objectionable remarks that tarnished his reputation. He demanded a case be registered against Das under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He had also attached the clippings of newspaper reports to buttress his allegations.

Talking to media persons outside the police station last week, Hemant had said that it was an insult on the Scheduled Tribes (STs) that hurt him deep.

“Unhone Jatisuchak upnam ka, apshabdo ka upyog kiya hai, unke virudd humne thana me likhit apatti jatayi ki us bayan se hum ahat hai. Humare sanman ko thesh parta hai (the chief minister has abused the community, it tarnished my reputation and I have lodged a written complaint against him),” he had told media persons.

The BJP, meanwhile, called the police action as political vendetta. “The FIR against Das has been registered under political vendetta. No case is made out against Das. The police, which had not taken action so far, has suddenly swung into action. It indicates the pressure mounted on the police,” said BJP’s state spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.