BHOPAL: Craving of people linked to examination frauds to become lawmakers isn’t just confined to Madhya Pradesh. Bedi Ram, the alleged kingpin of an inter-state racket which has been reportedly behind various government recruitment exams paper leaks in many states, is now in the UP poll fray.
He is the SP-led alliance’s candidate, contesting on Om Prakash Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket from Ghazipur district’s Jakhanian seat, which in 2017 was won by SBSP’s Triveni Ram in alliance with BJP.
Hailing from Jaunpur district, Bedi Ram has been arrested multiple times in the past in many states, including UP, MP and Chhattisgarh, in connection with paper leaks of various recruitment exams.
He was arrested by MP Police twice, after which he spent several months in jail, shattering his dreams of contesting the 2017 UP Assembly polls on BSP ticket from Jaunpur.
He along with family reportedly owns large tracts of land, brick kilns and also licensed liquor shops.
According to MP Police Special Task Force (MPSTF) sources, Bedi Ram has already been charge-sheeted in the MPPSC recruitment test case of 2014 and the case is under trial.
Due to his alleged involvement in fraud cases and since he is from Jaunpur district, the local SP leadership in Ghazipur have been opposing the move to field him as SBSP candidate.
However, according to Bedi Ram, “Accusations are levelled against many people, but until proven, no one can be termed a criminal. The CBI has already given me clean chit in one of the cases” he said.
On the issue of he being termed as an “outsider”, Ram says, “The Jakhanian constituency is numbered ‘Constituency Number 373’, while the constituency to which I belong in Jaunpur district is numbered 372’, so I’m Jakhanian’s neighbour and not an outsider.”
According to Rajkamal Rai, a Ghazipur-based political journalist, “Ram, a former railway ticket collector, is eyeing to turn lawmaker on the back of Yadav, Rajbhar, Chouhan and his own Jatav community voters.” He is pitted against two-time ex-BSP MLA Vijay Kumar and BJP’s Ramraj Banwasi.