Balodabazar (Chhattisgarh): Chhattisgarh Police have arrested Congress MLA Devendra Yadav in connection with the violence in Balodabazar. Yadav was apprehended from his house in Bhilai on Saturday, police said on Sunday.
He was produced in the CJM Court here and the Congress MLA was sent to judicial custody till August 20. Following this, the MLA was taken to Raipur Central jail, a senior police official said.
Devendra Yadav's lawyer Harshvardhan Paragniha told reporters, "Yadav was brought to the CJM Court after he was arrested. He was not given a copy of the FIR. He spoke in his defence in the court. The police did not record his statement. This is a political arrest."
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly Dr Charandas Mahant hit out at the BJP over Yadav's arrest. "It is very sad the way BJP has hatched a conspiracy to arrest MLA Devendra Yadav. The BJP should not politicise such incidents. The Congress party firmly stands behind Devendra.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel also lashed out at the BJP and Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai. "If the head of the state feels that by apprehending a young Congress MLA, they can hide their failure, it is their misunderstanding. The entire state, the Congress party and people belonging to the Sanatani caste are behind Yadav. People will give a befitting reply. Chhattisgarh will not run from Nagpur or Gujarat."
However, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai defended the Chhattisgarh Police saying the police arrested the MLA after considering all the facts. "The Police are doing their job. There is no political conspiracy behind Yadav's arrest. Devendra Yadav is a MLA, he is not a small person. Whatever action police is taking, they are doing it after careful consideration," added the Chief Minister.
The violence first erupted on May 15 and 16 this year in Girodpuri Dham after unidentified people had destroyed 'Vijay Stamb' near the Amar caves. On June 10, the office of the Collector and Superintendent of Police was attacked and section 144 was imposed by the Chhattisgarh Police.
