CM defends meeting murder accused

Betul(MP), Jan 4 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has defended his casual meeting with an accused in the Prof H S Sabharwal murder case during his visit to Indore's M Y Hospital saying the media had blown out the issue out of proportion.

''It was a casual meeting when I met all indoor patients at M Y Hospital on Wednesday'', Mr Chouhan told reporters here today referring to the controversy about his meeting with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad leader Vimal Tomar, one of the accused in the murder of Prof Sabharwal. Tomar, an inmate of Ujjain central jail, was at present undergoing treatment at the M Y Hospital.

Prof Sabharwal of Ujjain's Government Madhav College, was lynched to death when ABVP leaders attacked him at the college premises after abrupt postponement of students union election in August, 2006.

About the opposition Congress demand for his resignation for meeting the murder accused, the Chief Minister, in his sarcastic remark, said former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and leader of the opposition Jamuna Devi had no other work except demanding his resignation. ''They are blowing out every issue'', he said.

Meanwhile, a local court in Ujjain has issued a notice to Jail Superintendent Mansharam Patel on a petition moved by Congress leader Hafiz Qureshi for initiating contempt proceedings against the Chief Minister for meeting the ''prisoner'' without permission.

UNI XC-SP 1424