Raipur: The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to protect its legislative party leader's son who is absconding since he was booked in a rape case last week. Addressing a press conference here, state Congress chief Mohan Markam sought to know whether the rape-accused son of the MLA was hiding in a BJP-governed state to evade arrest.
Palash Chandel, son of Assembly Leader of Opposition and Janjgir-Champa MLA Narayan Chandel, was booked under Indian Penal Code sections after a tribal woman accused him of exploiting her sexually in Janjgir-Champa for the last few years on the pretext of marriage. She also alleged that Palash made her undergo an abortion. The MLA's son is yet to be arrested.
The BJP state chief Arun Sao should tell where Narayan Chandel's son who is accused of raping a tribal woman is hiding? Till when the BJP will save a rapist? Police have been continuously conducting raids to find out the whereabouts of the accused. Is he hiding in any BJP-ruled state? Markam said.
Demanding Narayan Chandel to step down from his post, the Congress leader said, if he does not resign then he should be expelled from the party. He also said that Palash must surrender before the police.
The case against Palash was registered as a Zero FIR in Raipur on January 18 and then transferred to Janjgir-Champa police. Janjgir-Champa Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Soni said a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case in which the accused is yet to be arrested.
Separate police teams are working to trace the accused and raids are being conducted at his possible locations in Chhattisgarh and outside the state, Soni said. Besides, a team of forensic experts has also been roped in to collect evidence in this connection, he added. (PTI)
