BJP leader Raghubar Das, the outgoing CM who lost his Assembly seat and saw the debacle of his party in the Assembly elections of Jharkhand, has finally something to cheer about.
And this has come not from his party but from his arch-rival from the JMM, the CM-designate Hemant Soren.
Hemant on Thursday announced he would withdraw a case he had lodged against Das during course of campaigning in the Assembly election.
On December 19, Hemant had lodged a complaint at the SC/ST police station of Dumka over an objectionable slur that Das while addressing an election rally on December 18, had allegedly used against him (Hemant).
Hemant Soren Telegraph file picture
As the matter was related to a place named Mihijam in Jamtara, the case had been shifted to Mihijam police station. Arvind Kumar Upadhyaya, an SDPO posted at Jamtara, had been made the investigating officer in the case.
Based on Hemant’s complaint, an FIR was filed in this case on Wednesday against Das at Mihijam police station under the SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act.
While police were about to commence further investigation in the case, Hemant on Thursday announced he would withdraw the case lodged against his predecessor.
“Nothing comes out of fight. I had lodged a complaint against the former CM in connection with some issue but now I have decided not to take this matter any further and end it,” Hemant said on Thursday. He added whatever had happened during the elections was history now and his government stood for taking everyone — ruling and Opposition parties — together to develop Jharkhand.
“I’ve invited PM Narendra Modi too at the swearing-in,” Hemant said, adding he stood for a spirit of coordination between the Centre and state.
On the fate of the case in the wake of this announcement, SDPO Upadhyaya said: “In such cases the complainant has the right to withdraw the complaint.” He clarified no formal order to withdraw the case had been received by the police so far. “The case will be closed once all formalities are over.”