The Congress has filed a petition to the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, seeking the “expulsion” of Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister’s Office, from Parliament over reports alleging that a criminal on the run from Jammu and Kashmir was recently spotted at his residence in Delhi.
In its complaint to the panel headed by BJP veteran L.K. Advani, who is also examining a complaint against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over a citizenship row, the Congress referred to a communal riot that broke out in Kishtwar district of J&K about three years ago.
A local BJP leader, Hari Kishan alias Kasooru, was named in the murder of a 52-year-old resident, Lassa Khandey, during the riots. Since then, the police have not been able to nab him.
‘Serious crime’Describing the presence of Mr. Kishan at Mr. Singh’s residence as a “serious” issue that puts Parliament’s dignity at stake, the Congress said since the accused was facing a murder charge, the Minister should not have let him enter his residence.
“It is a clear case of giving protection to an accused person who is involved in a serious crime,” Congress legal secretary K.C. Mittal said in the petition. When contacted by The Hindu , Mr. Singh refused to comment.
The Congress has submitted copies of newspaper reports as well as government documents that identify Mr. Kishan and nine others as “criminals”.
“It is unbelievable that Singh had no acquaintance with Kasooru, more so, when he [Kasooru] is a local BJP leader from Paddar, which is a part of his constituency,” said Mr. Mittal.
