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Marandi’s aide booked for rape, BJP, JMM trade fire
Babulal Marandi, a former chief minister, defended his aide Sunil Tiwari, who is his political advisor, saying the case against him was political vendetta, and demanded a CBI probe.
The opposition BJP and ruling JMM in Jharkhand on Wednesday traded allegations Ranchi police booked a close aide of BJP legislature party leader Babulal Marandi for allegedly raping his domestic help at his home last year.
Marandi, a former chief minister, defended his aide Sunil Tiwari, who is his political advisor, saying the case against him was political vendetta, and demanded a CBI probe.
In response, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said Marandi should stop himself from delivering verdicts even before the police complete their probe.
Marandi said Tiwari has been framed as he became an intervener in a writ petition against chief minister Hemant Soren. The case is likely to come up for hearing next week.
“The case against Soren started in December 2020 when a girl filed a petition in the Bombay High Court regarding her previous complaint of rape against the CM. Later, she posted a video on social media claiming she is facing life threat from me, Sunil Tiwari, Nishikant Dubey (BJP MP) and one other person from Mumbai whom I don’t know. That is when I had asked him (Sunil Tiwari) to become an intervener in that case and later also to file a writ petition in the Supreme Court, demanding a CBI probe in that case,” Marandi told reporters at a press conference here.
The BJP legislator said he had also written to the Maharashtra police chief and Mumbai police commissioner to conduct a probe and provide security to the girl.
“I demand an independent probe in this case, be it by CBI or by a High Court judge. We will also take up this issue with the Governor once he returns from New Delhi,” Marandi said.
A case has been filed with the Argora police station in state capital Ranchi agaisnt Tiwari on a complaint of the 20-year-old girl from Khunti district, police said. The girl has accused Tiwari of rape, physical assault and life threat. He has been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act, officials said.
According to the first information report (FIR), the incident took place between March and September 2020 and the complaint was filed on August 16, 2021. The police, however, did not elaborate.
JMM’s Bhattacharya said while rape allegations against the CM was fabricated and a defamation case has been filed with a lower court in Ranchi, Marandi was passing verdicts when police were still probing the case.
“He (Marandi) is a former chief minister and has considerable influence. He should not put unnecessary pressure on police when probe is still on, especially in cases related to tribal girls who are often exploited due to their vulnerability,” said Bhattacharya.
Tiwari, meanwhile, said he was being framed. “I have filed a writ petition in Supreme Court regarding the rape allegation against chief minister Hemant Soren by a Mumbai girl, seeking a CBI investigation. The case is to come up for hearing on August 23. The case against me is a result of that. I had written to the chief secretary, home secretary, Ranchi police as well as government of India on June 19 itself seeking protection. I had clearly mentioned in the letter that I was getting threats from different quarters threatening not to pursue the case,” he said.
