Cong councillors back Panipat Mayor

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, November 2

City Municipal Councillors supported by Congress party held a protest march and staged a dharna at the Mini Secretariat here today in support of Mayor Suresh Verma.

The councilors alleged that the Mayor had been falsely implicated in a criminal case by the BJP.

They also submitted a memorandum to SP Rajesh Duggal and SDM Vivek Chaudhary demanding a fair inquiry into the matter.

Congress councillors— namely Sunil Verma, Sheela Devi, Brij Bhushan Dhingra, Baljeet Singh, husband of councillor Sukhvinder Kaur, and Subhash Bathla, husband of the senior deputy mayor— gathered at Sky Lark, a Haryana tourism resort on NH-1 in the city. They carried out a protest march towards the Mini Secretariat and raised slogans against the BJP Government.

Rajender Punia, a Congress leader, said Suresh Verma was nominated Mayor with the support of the councillors but the BJP leaders did not tolerate it. Verma had been falsely implicated in a criminal case, he alleged.

Councillor Sunil Verma demanded a fair inquiry by a retired judge into the matter.

Saroj Verma, wife of Mayor Suresh Verma, alleged that the police was harassing them and the whereabouts of Suresh Verma were unknown.

Satpal Rana, former personal assistant (PA) of former Minister OP Jain, was attacked on the night of October 16 while returning from a programme. The police had booked Mayor Suresh Verma, his brother, nephew and few others in the case. Azaad Verma, the Mayor’s brother, along with four other accused, had been arrested earlier.

CJM Harshali Chaudhary had issued arrest warrants against the Mayor, his brother Dalbir Verma, and nephews Vikram, Vikas and Subhash Malik, on Tuesday.

“A memorandum was submitted by the supporters of Suresh Verma. The matter is under investigation. A detailed report has been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner in the matter,” said SP Rajesh Duggal.