Jharkahnd Speaker accuses Home Min of protecting criminals

Daltonganj/Ranchi, July 4 (UNI) Jharkhand Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari today said State Home Minister Sudesh Mahto was ''protecting'' criminals and warned that his ''reign of terror'' would not be allowed any more.

Mr Namdhari made the allegation at a function held at Chenpur block in Jharkhand's Palamu district.

Reacting to the allegation, Mr Mahto said the allegations were ''unfounded'' and ''politically motivated''.

Talking to UNI in Ranchi, Mr Mahto, refusing to comment further on the speaker's public announcement said as a home minister he was carrying out his duty with ''responsibility''.

''I have given free hand to the administration in matters dealing with criminals,'' Mr Mahto added.

When the Speaker was contacted over phone and asked about his statement, Mr Namdhari told UNI in Ranchi that he stood by his statement.

The Speaker said the minister instead of maintaining law and order situation, was ''inspiring'' anti-social elements in the state.

Earlier, addressing the meeting, the Speaker said Mr Mahto was putting pressure on senior officials to tranfer the officer-in-charge of Chenpur so that the home ministers' supporters could ''unleash terror'' unhindred in the area.

He referred to a recent incident when a group of Mr Mahto's supporters beat up an engineer and the victim did not lodge a complaint out of fear.

Mr Namdhari alleged the Mr Mahto's supporters were often seen taking money and harrasing officers and many of them were 'politicians' at day while at night they 'changed colours', the speaker said adding he was trying to inspire honest and upright officers in the state while the home minister was bent on doing just the opposite.

''I will not tolerate such misrule to continue in the area and I have told people to shed fear and lodge complaint with the police,'' he added.

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