FIR lodged against BJP nominee for Dhanbad LS constituency for 'threatening' ex-party leader

Dhanbad, Jharkhand: An FIR was lodged against BJP nominee for Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency and Baghmara MLA Dulu Mahato for allegedly threatening the district president of Marwai Sammelan Krishna Agarwal for opposing his candidature, police said.

Barbadda police station officer-in-charge Sunil Kumar Ravi told media people on Sunday that on the basis of the complaint of Agarwal, an FIR has been lodged against Dulu Mahto and Prince Khan under Sections 387 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation), 109 (abetment) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Agarwal, a former BJP leader, in his complaint stated that Khan, an alleged extortionist, through an audio clip had threatened him not to protest the candidature of Mahato.

The Marwari Sammelan President in a letter to the Senior Superintendent of Police also expressed apprehension that on the directive of Mahto, Khan and his henchmen might attack him and his family members.

On Friday, Agrawal and Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy held a joint press conference and opposed the candidature of Mahto from the Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat.

Agrawal on Thursday had shot off a letter to BJP state president Babulal Marandi demanding the change of Mahato's candidature from the Dhanbad seat as he is allegedly facing several criminal cases.

Mahato also allegedly made a call to Agrawal and threatened him for opposing his candidature.

After the FIR was lodged, Mahato in a letter to Dhanbad deputy commissioner (DC) demanded a forensic probe into the purported audio clip of Khan.

He claimed that a purported audio clip was issued in a bid to defame him. "It is a serious crime and conspiracy to affect the Lok Sabha polls," Mahto said.