Viral graft letter case: Chargesheet will be filed soon: Official

The Kangra district police will soon be filing a chargesheet in case related to a viral letter alleging corruption in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state

The Kangra district police will soon be filing a chargesheet in case related to a viral letter alleging corruption in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government.

HT Image

The letter, addressed to veteran leader Shanta Kumar, alleged serious allegations of corruption in state health and industry department. The letter was found making rounds on social media in September.

Former BJP minister Ravinder Singh Ravi, a close confident of ex- chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, is in the soup as police probe has indicted him for playing a role in making the letter viral.

“We are scrutinising all the legal aspects of the case and a chargesheet in the case will be filed soon,” said Kangra senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vimukt Ranjan.

He, however, did not give any time frame for filing the chargesheet.

A verbal war has erupted in the BJP over the episode as many leaders have demanded action against beleaguered Ravi.

The letter was posted on a social media site by a Palampur-based BJP worker Manoj Masand. During interrogation, he confided to have posted the letter on behest of Ravi.

Subsequently, Masand was booked under Sections 505 (statements conducting public mischief) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The police also confiscated Ravi and Masand’s mobile phones and also questioned the former minister.

According to police, forensic analyses of mobile phones indicate that Ravi played active role in spreading the letter.

Defending self, Ravi has alleged that police were acting against him under pressure from a particular person.