CD case: Chargesheets filed against BJP leaders

Lucknow, Jan 30: Political heat over the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)'s controversial CD again gathered steam with police filing a chargesheet against ten party leaders, including president Rajnath Singh and former leader of the Opposition in the assembly Lalji Tandon in connection with the release of the CD during the last assembly elections.

Police sources said the proposal for the prosecution of the ten accused in the case has been sent to the state government for legal approval. The Hazratganj police of the state capital took about eight months to complete the investigation and filed the chargesheet in the last week of November after the case was lodged on April 6, 2007. The chargesheet came to light last night.

In the chargesheet, prepared by circle officer (CO), Hazratganj, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) B P Ashok, the charges levelled against the BJP leaders have 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 Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon, other BJP leaders whose name have been mentioned in the chargesheet were Choudhury Virendra Singh, Alpana Talwar, Pravesh Gujjar, Lal Bahadur, Udit, Lokesh, Sunita and K C Asthana.

Meanwhile, UP BJP president Ramapati Ram Tripathi told the sources here today that the entire act was a political conspiracy against the party leaders.

''When the Election Commission itself had closed down the matter way back in May, 2007, then how could the police file the chargesheet at this moment,'' he questioned.

Mr Tripathi, alleging that 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 that 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 polls rocked the state with the Opposition and media alleging that it contained material to instigate communal violence.

Taking suo motto cognisance of the CD that was shown on a TV 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 directive of the Election Commission.

Even as top BJP leaders have clearly washed their hands of the much talked about disc, loaded with anti-Muslim campaigns, the Election Commission (EC) too was understood to have taken note of their alleged involvement behind it.

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 the 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 Election Commission (EC).

Senior state BJP leader Lalji Tandon had released the CD titled 'UP Victimised', which reportedly contains scenes like the Babri mosque demolition and Godhra violence besides reflecting the party's anti-minority stance.

According to reports, the CD accuses madrasas of indulging in anti-national activities and also blames the Muslim youth for enticing Hindu girls.

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

UNI