SSP books Bihar Congress president Choudhary for 'pairvi'

Bihar Congress President Ashok Choudhary was booked for calling up a SSP and asking him to not arrest NSUI activists suspected of vandalism.

Approaching any officer for a favour is not considered taboo for any political leader.

But at times, one may end up dialing a wrong number.

As it happened with Bihar Congress president Ashok Choudhary, who called up the Patna SSP Vikas Vaibhav, requesting him ‘not to take action’ against some NSUI activists involved in vandalism at education minister P K Shahi’s official residence on July 22, 2013.

Not taking it lightly, the SSP directed the Gandhi Maidan police to enter a station diary against Choudhary for trying to influence the SSP and suggesting that NSUI activists involved in a rioting case in the Sachivalay police station area should not be arrested.

Vaibhav said on Monday that he received a call from an unidentified caller claiming to be PA to Congress state president and later gave the phone to another person, who claimed to be president Ashok Choudhary.

He allegedly advised the SSP not to take action in the case since the accused persons had a political background. Since the law is the same for everyone, the SSP asked him not to interfere in police investigation. “The unnecessary effort to influence police action is unlawful,” he said on phone.

Later, The SSP directed the SHO of Sachivalaya police station to verify the accused persons and arrest them at the earliest in the case, which is pending since 2013.

Vaibhav also instructed the SHO of Gandhi Maidan to verify the identity of the person who made the call to the SSP.

Choudhary admitted having called the SSP, but said he had done so just to request the SSP to see the case personally so that the innocent were not implicated. “I know the boys and they are innocent,” he added.