In fray from jail, Doda meets BJP nominee

ABOHAR Liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda, alias Sholly, who has filed his nomination as an independent candidate from Abohar segment despite being in jail in a murder case, met BJP candidate Arun Narang in the courtroom in Fazilka, where Doda was brought for a hearing on Wednesday. Others who met him included Fazilka BJP chief Vishnu Bhagwan and Ashok Ahuja, Abohar circle president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

This comes amid speculation that Doda — who remained second to Congress’ Sunil Jakhar as an independent in Abohar in 2012 — may eventually withdraw his papers to support Narang, who also belongs to the Arora community that is significant in the segment.

By the evening, Kaushalya Devi, mother of the murder victim Bhim Sain Tank, filed a complaint to the Election Commission, and the district electoral officer seeking action against those involved in the “illegal” meetings. “Doda held separate meetings with Narang and Ashok Ahuja for more than 15 minutes each, but policemen sitting next to him raised no object,” she said.

Doda was last month shifted to the Amritsar central jail after over 20 people, including Ahuja — his known aide who also went with Doda when he filed his nomination papers on parole — were found in an illegal meeting with him in the Fazilka sub-jail.

Deputy commissioner Isha Kalia said she had not yet received any written complaint but had got telephonic information about the matter. “I have sought a report from the local police, and can comment further only after that,” she said.

Narang, when contacted, rebuffed the charges of a “special meeting” with Doda: “I had gone to the court for some work. When I saw Doda there, I just went to greet him for a moment.”