Three-time legislator and prominent tribal leader George Tirkey, who is contesting from Biramitrapur Assembly seat in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, takes pride in facing a number of criminal charges.
In his affidavit, Mr. Tirkey has declared 22 criminal cases registered against him in different police stations. As far as the number of criminal charges being faced by candidates, the incumbent Biramitrapur legislator is probably way ahead of others.
“I am not a petty criminal or is running an organised crime network. Cases slapped on me are the result of my long association with public life. In my political career, I have supported several mass movements. But I take unyielding stand in public protests,” he said.
The Samata Kranti Dal (SKD) president said, “In my long political career, I have faced more than 90 criminal cases, including attempts to murder under the Arms Act. But police should explain the circumstances in which I have been framed.”
“At present, I have been granted bail in 22 cases. In fact, the latest bail granted by court came just 10 days before filing of my nomination,” said the tribal activist, who is contesting on SKD ticket.
According Mr. Tirkey, the police charged him in nine different cases while he was leading a public agitation demanding employment for local youths in private industries. Similarly, four cases slapped on him when he supported demand of retrenched workers of ORIND industry – the oldest refractory of Odisha. In 2011, the tribal leader along with more than 200 retrenched employees was sent to Special Jail, Rourkela.
“In many cases, the police implicated me in false charges in order to keep me engaged in court cases. I have been acquitted in more than 60 cases. False criminal charges cannot dissuade me from taking up people’s issues,” Mr. Tirkey said.
If one goes through the court cases mentioned in affidavits, erstwhile royals, who are contesting in Bolangir district, are entangled in cases pertaining to property disputes. Unlike Mr. Tirkey, there are many history-sheeters contesting elections from Ganjam and Keonjhar districts. Police had charged them in murder, dacoity, and kidnapping cases.
