Raman, Jogi father-son behind fixing of Antagarh bypoll: Pawar

Manturam Pawar, the Congress candidate in the Antagarh assembly by-poll in 2014 in Chhattisgarh, has alleged that he was offered inducements as well as pressurised for withdrawing his candidature, leading to an easy victory of the BJP's nominee. He further alleged that former chief ministers Raman Singh and Ajit Jogi, and former MLA Amit Jogi have been involved in election fixing.

Raipur:Manturam Pawar, the Congress candidate in the Antagarh assembly by-poll in 2014 in Chhattisgarh, who abruptly withdrew from the fray, on Saturday alleged that the election had been fixed by former chief ministers Raman Singh and Ajit Jogi and former MLA Amit Jogi.

Raman Singh denied his allegations while the other two were unavailable for comments, being in hospitals.

In a statement recorded before a magistrate here under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, (which is admissible evidence during a trial) Pawar narrated how he was allegedly offered inducements as well as pressurised for withdrawing, leading to an easy victory of the BJP's nominee.

He levelled serious allegations against former Chief Minister and now BJP national vice president Raman Singh, another former CM Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi, former PWD Minister Rajesh Munat and two others - Ameen Menon and Firoz Siddiqui, said to be then close aides of Jogi.

As per Pawar's affidavit, before the court, on August 28, 2014 (ahead of the by-poll), Menon and Siddiqui met him and said that he should talk to Ajit Jogi, as Ajit Jogi, Amit Jogi and Raman Singh had decided that he would withdraw his nomination for Rs 7 crore.

"I asked them how they can fix such a deal. They made me talk to Raman Singh (then CM) over the phone, who told me that I have to do what they were saying. I felt very disheartened and was uncomfortable with whatever was going on.

"Then, Menon and Siddiqui also warned me if I did not withdraw from the fray then Singh will not spare my family," he alleged.

On August 29, 2014, Menon and his accomplices forcibly took him to collector's office in Kanker district and forced him to withdraw the nomination, and then held him "hostage" for three days, Pawar said.

"Ajit Jogi had also threatened me of dire consequences if I refused to withdraw," he alleged.

"On September 2, 2014, Menon forcibly brought me to Raipur...Later the deal was fixed at the bungalow of then PWD minister Rajesh Munat," Pawar claimed.

Raman Singh refuted the allegations, calling it the Congress government's "badla-pur" (vendetta) politics.

"I had nothing to with Antagarh by-poll episode. I am being dragged into it as part of a political conspiracy. This is part of the Congress' strategy in view of Dantewada by-poll which will be held on September 23," the former CM said in a statement.

"It is apparent that Pawar gave the statement under political pressure... it is completely a `Badlapur' politics of Congress. I will present my side in the court," the BJP leader said.

Ajit Jogi and Amit Jogi could not be contacted. Ajit is in hospital in Delhi, while Amit, arrested in a false poll affidavit case, is in hospital in Bilaspur.

After the Congress government came to power last year, it set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged fixing of the 2014 Antagarh assembly by-poll.

In February this year, the police registered an FIR against Ajit Jogi, his son Amit, Raman Singh's son-in-law Dr Puneet Gupta, former minister Rajesh Munat and Pawar over alleged fixing of Antagarh by-poll.

The by-election was won by the BJP's Bhojraj Nag. Pawar, who pulled out from the fray a day before the last date for withdrawal, was expelled from the Congress.

An audiotape surfaced later, suggesting he pulled out at the behest of the BJP, and it was facilitated by Ajit Jogi and his son. The Jogi father-son duo denied the allegations.

Later, Ajit Jogi quit the Congress and floated his outfit, Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J). Pawar joined the BJP in March 2015.