Chhattisgarh ‘coal theft’ video: FIR against BJP state secretary for ‘rumour’

The Chhattisgarh police have registered an FIR against BJP state secretary and former IAS officer OP Choudhary for tweeting the allegedly ‘fake video’ of coal theft in Korba district

Acting on the complaint of a Congress leader, the Chhattisgarh police on Saturday registered a first information report (FIR) against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state secretary and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Om Prakash Choudhary for tweeting an allegedly ‘fake video’ of coal theft in Korba district.

The video showing a large number of women and men coming out of a mine carrying coal-filled sacks on their shoulders and heads went viral on social media platforms. (Video grab)

“After I posted the video, the district collector, Ranu Sahu, accepted that coal theft was going on and even instructed the mining officials to take precautionary measures. My attempt was to make the administration aware of the organised theft. The aim of the Chhattisgarh government should be to contain the theft and not to register FIR against me. I am ready to face jail for raising the important issue,” said Chaudhary, commenting on the FIR.

The video showing a large number of women and men digging an opencast with pickaxes and other tools went viral on social media platforms on May 17 with many alleging that it was a scene of organised coal theft from a Chhattisgarh mine. People were seen carrying coal-filled sacks on their shoulders and heads, coming out of the mine in queues in the video.

Choudhary posted the video on his Twitter account on May 17 (it is not sure whether he posted the video first on a social media platform), alleging that the video is a scene from the Gevera mine in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district. He also alleged there could be an organised gang engaged in the coal theft and should be investigated properly.

“This scene is of Asia’s biggest coal mine, Gevra, in Korba district. This is an open act of organised Mafia Raj. Thousands of labourers are openly engaged in coal theft. Everything has reached beyond imagination in Chhattisgarh,” he said in his tweet sharing the video.

After the video went viral on social media, the inspector general of police (Bilaspur range), Ratanlal Dangi on May 19 ordered an inquiry into the video by the Anti-Crime and Cyber unit. “The viral video is of which mine and of which district and why the paramilitary forces have not stopped people from entering the said mine,” the inquiry order said. The same day, Korba superintendent of police (SP) Bhojram Patel removed station house officers of Dipka Police station and Hardibazar Police Chowki (outpost) and shifted them to Korba police line.

The next day, senior officials of Korba district including the collector and the SP visited the Gevra and Dipke coal mines and reviewed the entry and exit arrangements of mines and fond a lack of security measures.

As the IG-ordered investigation is still going on over the source and authenticity of the video, the police on Saturday said that a complaint was lodged by local Congress leader Madhusudan Das against Choudhary and after primary investigation an FIR was registered against Choudhary under section 505 (1) (Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“On 18 May, 2022, a former IAS officer OP Choudhary shared a video from his Twitter account which was claimed to be of Gevra mines in Korba and people were seen digging coal. After the video, the people are turning against the administration and there were talks against it. While a report has been filed by Madhusudan Das, a resident of Bakimogra police station, saying that the above video is fake, an offence has been registered against (Choudhary) under section 505 (1) (b) (Inducing to commit offence against State or public tranquility) of the Indian Penal Code,” said a statement issued by the Korba police.

The Korba SP said that a complaint was filed saying that the video was fake on which the FIR was registered.

“We have taken statements from locals and a primary investigation was carried out by police. Subsequently, a case was registered against Choudhary under section 505 (1) of Indian Penal Code and further investigation will continue,” said Patel.