Ex-MLA behind murder of BJP leader: Kin

FORMER MLA AMARPAL SHARMA DENIED ANY ROLE IN THE MURDER OF GAJENDRA BHATI

family of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who was gunned down at Khoda in Ghaziabad on Saturday has blamed former MLA Amarpal Sharma for the murder.

Sharma has denied the allegations and said he is ready to face any probe.

On Saturday afternoon, two bikers opened fire at Gajendra Bhati and BJP’s Khoda head Balbir Chauhan when they were heading home on a bike. Bhati died after he was hit by four bullets while Chauhan was injured.

Sharma was a Bahujan Samaj Party MLA from Sahibabad but was expelled just ahead of the assembly elections in UP. He contested on a Congress ticket but lost.

“Amarpal Sharma had issued threats to my brother as he was preparing to contest the chairman’s post in the nagar palika election. It is political rivalry. Sharma did not want him to contest elections,” said Yogesh, Bhati’s brother who lodged an FIR at the Khoda police station, naming Sharma and two unidentified assailants.

“In 2016 too, there was an FIR against we three brothers and I was sent to jail in connection with a land dispute. This was on Sharma’s behest. I and my sisterin-law saw the assailants open fire and flee. My brother had left his car and boarded a bike with Chauhan and were returning from a temple where a rumour was spread that some meat was thrown,” Bhati added.

Police suspect the bikers were hired killers. “The former MLA is a suspect and his role is being probed. We are probing all other angles like rivalries, etc,” said HN Singh, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad.

“I was all day long at Khoda for Eid festival and later at my office at Indirapuram. The allegations are imaginary as I had no rivalry with the victim. I am ready to assist police and will not run away. The allegations have been made to defame me as I have a major following in Khoda and other areas,” Sharma told HT.