Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Agnivesh demands judicial probe into attack

- Sanjoy Dey sanjoy.dey@hindustant­imes.com

RANCHI: Social activist Swami Agnivesh on Wednesday dismissed a probe into an attack on him in Pakur as an eyewash and accused the BJP government in Jharkhand of sponsoring the assault even as the state’s urban developmen­t minister CP Singh said the former was a ‘fraud’ who orchestrat­ed the attack on himself.

A day after he was thrashed allegedly by BJP youth wing workers, Agnivesh said he wanted to raise the issue with Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmu but could not meet her on Wednesday as his appointmen­t was cancelled.

But the Raj Bhawan denied that Agnivesh had a prior appointmen­t with the governor.

“Since governor had a schedspons­ored uled engagement, Agnivesh was informed that the meeting would not be possible today,” said a Raj Bhawan official.

Urban developmen­t minister denied the involvemen­t of any Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers in the assault on Agnivesh.

“I know Agnivesh for last 40 years. He is an old fraud. He

For impartial investigat­ion, I sought judicial probe by high court judge or retired judge SWAMI AGNIVESH, Social activist

the attack on himself. No BJYM worker was involved in the assault,” Singh said.

Singh’s statement is contrary to the Pakur police’s press release on Tuesday, which categorica­lly said ‘100 BJYM workers had thrashed him’. Pakur police have registered an FIR naming eight people. A special investigat­ion team (SIT) has also been set up .

Agnivesh told reporters in Ranchi on Wednesday that the DIG (deputy inspector general) level investigat­ion, set up by the government, was an eye wash. “For impartial investigat­ion, I had demanded judicial probe by any high court judge or retired judge,” he said.

 ??  ?? ▪ Swami Agnivesh
▪ Swami Agnivesh

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