Case against two Malda MPs for loot and riot

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 23 AUG: English Bazaar Police started a case of loot against six persons, including two Malda members of Parliament (north and south) ~ Miss Mausam Noor and Mr AH Khan Choudhury ~ and two district Congress leaders here today.

They have been charged under Section 143/341/186/353/323/379 of IPC and R/W 188 IPC for allegedly looting money and valuables, prevention from government duty, rioting in the religious places of worship at Peeranapir yesterday.

Police have also informed the matter to the Speaker of the Parliament seeking permission for carrying out the next course of action.

Mr Jayanta Lodh Chowdhury, in-charge of English Bazaar police station, said: “The accused persons entered the Peeranapir Dargah along with more than 250 people, broke boxes containing money and valuable articles that are donated by devotees and took away a decent amount of money and valuables under the direction of both the MPs”.

“Following the status quo order from High Court when we tried to prevent them they pushed us and took away the box containing money. A person called Asadul Sardar assaulted me and my colleague, Mr Moniranjan Sarkar and snatched the key of the cars with which they managed to escape”, Mr Lodh informed his higher authorities.

Police have arrested Sannam Sheikh, a resident of Chandipur and one of the attackers, from the spot. He was produced in the court today.

“We have received complaints and have started inquiring into the matter”, said Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyay, the Malda SP.

It may be noted that Mrs Sahanaj Kaderi, one of relatives of Miss Mausam Noor and her rival, lodged complaint with the police and had informed the minister of state for minority affairs, Mr Abdus Sattar on this issue and sought administrative help to maintain a status quo at Peeranapir.

Mr Sattar said over phone: “I have heard about the incident. I will ask the Wakf Board to inquire into the matter”.

When the matter came into light, since yesterday morning a section of Congress leaders expressed their unhappiness over the incident and said: “When the Central government is trying hard to develop minority people how can the MPs loot the donation of the minorities from a religious places?”.

Both the MPs ~ Miss Mausam Noor , north Malda MP, and her maternal uncle Mr AH Khan Choudhury, south Malda MP, who is also the Malda district Congress president~ denied all charges.

“The place is our family property. I frequently visit the place. Yesterday I went there but nothing of that sort happened,” said Miss Mausam Noor. However, the Congress MP, Mr AH Khan Chowdhury said that the charges were politically motivated. “Some forces are trying to malign us as part of political vendetta,” he said.