Withdraw cases against Bindal, Paonta Sahib MLA: LoP Thakur

Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Jai Ram Thakur, today demanded that the case registered against BJP leaders, including State BJP president Rajeev Bindal and Paonta Sahib MLA Sukh Ram Chaudhary, in connection with the disappearance of a girl in Paonta Sahib, be withdrawn immediately.

Addressing a press conference here today, Thakur said that BJP leaders were present at the protest site in Paonta Sahib following the disappearance of an 18-year-old girl, but not with the intention to harm anyone. “BJP leaders have been booked under Section 307 of the BNS Act with political vendetta. The government should focus on development works and not implicate their political opponents,” he said. Bindal and Chaudhary were also present at the press conference.

“It was to respect the public sentiment in the case that the State BJP president and Paonta Sahib MLA were present there with the family and relatives of the missing girl. However, it was shocking when the two leaders were booked under Section 307 when they had no weapon or stick in their hand. Both have taken interim bail from the High Court,” he said.

He further stated that five people who have been arrested were booked under Section 307, but the boy with whom the girl had gone missing had not been arrested. He said the state government must take stern action against the guilty.