Ahmedabad PC files FIR against TOI scribe

Ahmedabad, Jun 2 (UNI) Newly appointed City Police Commissioner O P Mathur has filed two FIRs against the resident editor and correspondent of the Times of India, Ahmedabad, for running reports in the local edition against him after his appointment as City police chief.

Mr Mathur has filed two police complaints at the Navrangpura police station against Resident Editor Bharat Desai and correspondent Prashant Dayal for carrying the articles, alleging that he had a history of links with underworld of the city for the last two decades.

Inspector of Navrangpura police station J M Desai told UNI that Mr Mathur had filed two separate FIRs against the newspaper for carrying articles against him on May 27 and 29 in its Ahmedabad edition.

Mr Desai said, ''The Commissioner has accused ToI journalists of sedition and criminal conspiracy.'' The newspaper also conducted an SMS poll on whether he should or should not continue as the police commissioner of Ahmedabad.

The articles cited the killing of a Congress leader Rauf Valliullah in early 1980s by underworld don Latif and his alleged linkage with Mr Mathur. The articles also alleged that Mr Mathur was on the payroll of Latif's gang.

Mr Mathur lodged a complaint under Section 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intent) of Indian Police Code.

In today's edition, the newspaper has claimed that the campaign was based on the investigative journalism done by its reporter Mr Dayal. The result of report questioned the competence of Mr Mathur and his ability to assure the security of the people of the city, which was high on the hit list of terrorists in the backdrop of post-Godhra riots.

UNI MP SSS PK HT1802