Police prepares chargesheets against BJP leaders in CD case

Lucknow, Jan 30 (UNI) Political heat over the BJP's controversial CD has again gained momentum with the police preparing a chargesheet against ten party leaders, including president Rajnath Singh and former leader of the opposition Lalji Tandon in connection with its release during the last Assembly election.

Police said the proposal for prosecution of the 10 accused in the case had been sent to the state government for legal approval.

The Hazratganj police here took about eight months to complete the investigation and 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 UP president Ramapati Ram Tripathi told UNI today the entire act was a political conspiracy against the party leaders.

''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,'' he questioned.

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.

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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