Chargesheet against BJP leaders in CD case still incomplete: police

Lucknow, Jan 30 (UNI) In a new twist to the BJP's controversial CD episode, police today claimed that the chargesheet was incomplete and the investigation was still in progress against ten party leaders, including president Rajnath Singh and former leader of the opposition in Lalji Tandon, in connection with its release during the last Assembly election.

SSP (Lucknow) Akhil Kumar said here that the chargesheet was still incomplete and further investigation was required to complete the necessary requirements.

He said the Hazratganj police was investigating the matter and admitted that the FIR lodged by the CEO has the name of BJP President Rajnath Singh in the complaint along with nine others.

Earlier, police sources had claimed that the Hazratganj police of the state capital had prepared the chargesheet in the last week of November after the case was lodged on April 6, 2007.

In the chargesheet, prepared by circle officer (CO), Hazratganj, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) B P Ashok, the charges levelled against the BJP leaders had been established under sections 153 (A), 152 (B), 295 (A), 298, 505 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 123, 125 (3), 3(A) of Representation of People's Act.

Besides Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr Tandon, other BJP leaders whose names are mentioned in the chargesheet are Choudhury Virendra Singh, Alpana Talwar, Pravesh Gujjar, Lal Bahadur, Udit, Lokesh, Sunita and K C Asthana.

Meanwhile, BJP legislature party leader Om Prakash Singh said the entire act was a political conspiracy against the party leaders particularly party president Rajnath Singh.

''How could the name of Mr Singh be taken in the FIR when he was not present at the function to release the CD nor his name was in the making of the disc,'' Mr Singh said.

Urging Chief Minister Mayawati not to give her approval for the prosecution in the case, he said that if required BJP will give a political reply to this issue.

State BJP president Rampati Ram Tripathi said ''When the Election Commission itself had closed the matter way back in May 2007, then how could the police file the chargesheet at this moment''.

Mr Tripathi, alleging it was a pure case of political vendetta, said the BJP leaders including Mr Rajnath Singh had presented himself for arrest in April last, but police did not arrest them.

Demanding a fresh investigation into the case, the BJP leader said such menance should be avoided.

In the first week of April, the issue of the controversial CD released by the BJP during the UP Assembly poll rocked the state with opposition and media alleging it contained material to instigate communal violence.

Taking suo motto cognisance of the CD that was shown on a news channel, the local police registered a criminal case in the matter.

Later the Chief Electoral Officer(CEO) also lodged a complaint with the police against the BJP leaders on the Election Commission directive.

Even as top BJP leaders have clearly washed their hands of the much talked about disc, allegedly loaded with anti-Muslim material, the EC too was understood to have taken note of their alleged involvement.

The CD shown by a TV news channel was formally withdrawn following instructions from the BJP high command, who feigned total ignorance about the objectionable recordings.

A small time party functionary Manoj Misra was made a scapegoat and fired by then state BJP chief Keshrinath Tripathi for giving away the CD to a section of the media, before it was formally vetted by the party or the EC.

Mr Tandon had released the CD titled 'UP Victimised', which reportedly contained scenes like the Ayodhya disputed structure demolition and Godhra violence, besides reflecting the party's anti-minority stance.

According to reports, the CD accused madrasas of indulging in anti-national activities and even blamed Muslim youth for enticing Hindu girls.

It also charged the UPA government of approving textbooks describing goddess Durga as being fond of liquor, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as a saint and Hindu pantheons Ram and Krishna as 'fictitious characters'.

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