BJP leader accused of hiding his caste part of Ram Mandir trust

Chaupal, a member of the newly formed Ram Mandir trust, had faced legal action in 1999 for hiding his caste. According to reports, Chaupal was part of a VHP volunteer group that laid the foundation stone for a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Patna: BJP's Dalit leader Kameshwar Chaupal, who has been named in the 15-member Trust constituted by the Centre to oversee the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was allegedly accused of hiding his caste in 1999.

Chaupal, who laid the foundation stone for a Ram temple as the part of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) team, had faced legal action by the Bihar police. The police had filed a charge sheet against the BJP leader and a case was registered in the SC/ST Police Station under case no. 28/1999.

The then CID SP Amitabh Kumar Das ordered an inquiry in the matter.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, IPS Amitabh Kumar said: "There were issues regarding caste of Kameshwar Chaupal and an FIR was lodged in the SC/ST police station in Patna on my orders. In 2014, Chaupal himself confirmed that the allegations against him in the election affidavit were correct.

The case was registered under sections 419, 465, 468, 470, 471 and 120B of IPC. The Dalit leader had become a member of the VHP in 1982. He had contested against LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan in 1991 but lost the election.

Chaupal tried his luck for the second time in 1995 Assembly polls. The Dalit leader became a member of the Bihar Legislative Council in the year 2002.