RAIPUR: Following the notice served by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2014 Antagarh by-election fixing scam to former chief minister Ajit Jogi and his son Amit, the latter described the probe agency as “Stupid Investigation Team” questioning its legal knowledge.
Amit has been summoned by the SIT to appear before it on June 25 for voice sampling in connection with the investigation. Besides Jogis, the others who are asked for the voice recording included Puneet Gupta the son in law of former CM Raman Singh and the then Congress candidate in the by-poll Manturam Pawar. Pawar visited the SIT on Monday.
“The notice to collect my voice-sample can only be served after the available evidences and seized materials along with certified letters are mandatorily produced to me as per the Indian Evidence Act and Information Technology Act (Clause-65 B). It’s regretting the SIT didn’t have even the basic legal knowledge”, said Amit Jogi, who is also an advocate besides the state president of the regional outfit Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J).
“The notice served therefore is absolutely illegal and malicious (evil-intentioned)”, he added further and gave the SIT a 7-day duration to submit before him with the requisite information or else he might seek the shelter of judiciary against the “unlawful and evil-intentioned” notice he was given.
According to the SIT notice an FIR has been registered at Pandri police station by former Raipur mayor Kiranmayee Nayak and there is a pen drive carrying purported recorded of telephonic conversations of the alleged five accused. And voice sample needed to verify the recorded talks.
The FIR was registered under Section 171 (e) for bribery, 171 undue influence, 406 criminal breach of trust and 420 cheating and 120 criminal conspiracy.
There were allegations that the BJP had “fixed” the polls in collusions with the Jogis. The Congress candidate Manturam Pawar had abruptly withdrawn his name from the by-election and the BJP won the polls.