Samalkha MC head threatens to end life over ‘dirty politics’

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, June 21

Ashok Kuchhal, chairman, Municipal Committee, Samalkha, today threatened to commit suicide along with his family members due to alleged “dirty politics” for removing him from the post.

He said Samalkha MLA Ravinder Machroli, the administration and the “deceitful” councillors would be responsible for his death, he said.

The MLA has refuted the allegations.

Fourteen out of 17 councillors had submitted an application to the MLA four days ago over their displeasure with Kuchhal’s work.

The councillors alleged there were crores in the MC’s account for development, but the chairman had failed undertake any project in the city in the last one year.

Kuchhal alleged, “Machroli and some councillors are playing games with me. Councillors are under the influence of money. Some of them have demanded lakhs to support me.”

PP Kapoor, an RTI activist, demanded a vigilance inquiry and stringent action against the persons involved in the matter.

Kapoor said, “The chairman has given an affidavit to me, in which he has alleged that the local MLA had taken lakhs from him and given to some councillors for making him the chairman last year.”

“Now, the MLA, in connivance with some councillors, is trying to remove him from the post to grab the grant money in the MC’s account,” he alleged.

“I have the audio recording of phone calls of some councillors with the chairman, in which councillors are demanding money from him,” Kapoor claimed.

Machroli refuted the allegation and said, “I have nothing to do with the chairman post. I am with the government and development.”

He claimed there was Rs 12 crore lying in the account of the MC for development work, but the chairman did not pay heed to development in the city. Councillors were annoyed with him for his poor performance, he said.