BJP MP asks absconding brother to surrender

Raipur, Apr 8: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ranvijay Singh Judeo today appealed to his brother Vikramaditya, an absconding accused in an attempt to murder case, to surrender before police and cooperate in the investigation.

The younger brother of the BJP leader had allegedly run his SUV over a school director, Barmeshwar Gupta, in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh on April 6. Vikramaditya, who was locked in a property dispute with Gupta, is absconding since then. Gupta was seriously injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ranchi.

"It's an unfortunate incident. I request Vikramaditya to surrender and cooperate in the police investigation," Judeo told reporters here this evening.

"I am not aware about Vikramaditya's activities and his present whereabouts. His family has not been on good terms with my family for the last 20 years," he added. Earlier today, the BJP lawmaker visited Gupta at the Ranchi hospital.

Meanwhile, Jashpur Police have announced a Rs 5,000 reward for information leading to Vikramaditya's arrest. Police teams are carrying out searches for the accused in Odisha and Jharkhand besides in Chhattisgarh. Vikramaditya and two of his associates have been booked under, among others, Section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC.

PTI