RAIPUR: The Election Commission (EC) in response to a notice served to expedite the completion of probe into the sensational Antagarh bypoll “fixing”, has directed the Chhattisgarh chief electoral officer (CEO) to immediately furnish the progress achieved so far in its findings.
In December 2015, an audio tape leaked to an English Daily purportedly had alleged telephonic conversations between the former chief minister Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi and Dr Puneet Gupta (son-in-law of Chief Minister Raman Singh), pointing out their alleged role in “fixing” the Antagarh Assembly byelection in 2014.
“It is most unfortunate that despite a probe for more than a year, the investigation process on Antagarh bypoll 'fixing' has not been concluded by your office and the culprits of the Constitution of Indian and democratic nature of governance have not been brought to justice. Such laxity on part of the investigating authorities is a sad reality. We request expeditious completion of inquiry and submission of report”, the notice served to the EC by social activist Rakesh Choubey through his counsel Abhyuday Singh, stated.
The commission, responding to the notice, sent a letter to the state CEO seeking the latest position on the matter at the earliest. The CEO was not available for comments.
Whistle-blower Firoz Siddiqui, who leaked the tapes, too resented the "callousness" in the inquiry. “Failure to promptly investigate the byelection fixing is tantamount to murder of democracy. Those who are guilty are enjoying all privileges and ironically the EC has gone ahead giving recognition to the party of Ajit Jogi before the issue gets thoroughly probed”, Siddiqui told the New Indian Express.
The audio-tape released had discussions among the then Congress candidate Manturam Pawar and the whistle-blower Firoz Siddiqui, who was former Jogi loyalist. Siddiqui submitted his voice sample in the High Court where the case was filed previous year.
The leaked tape conversations apparently suggested exchange of money to make Pawar, Congress candidate for the bypoll seat, withdraw his nomination at the last minute to facilitate the BJP nominee’s victory. Pawar abruptly pulled out of the contest a day before the final date of withdrawal of names. The election was won by the BJP. Pawar was then expelled from the Congress and he joined the BJP a few months later.
The tape sparked a political storm in Chhattisgarh. Amit was expelled from the Congress and recommendations were made to suspend his father Ajit Jogi, who was with the Congress then. Jogis and CM Raman Singh have denied any involvement in the alleged corruption charges.
Social activist Rakesh Choubey said that the EC should initiate a fair and apt investigation into the corruption case. “The EC should severely expose and punish the wrongdoers”, he asserted.