A first information report (FIR) was filed against Rohini Acharya, daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and Saran candidate, on May 23 in the Saran post-poll violence case.
As many as 13 serious sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 307 (attempt to murder), have been slapped against her.
Ms. Acharya has been booked under IPC Sections 171C (undue influence at election), 341 (wrongful restraint of a person), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
In the Saran Lok Sabha seat, Ms. Acharya is up against BJP candidate Rajiv Pratap Rudy. During the election in the constituency on May 20, Ms. Acharya visited a booth at Bhikhari Thakur Chowk to inspect the polling process, and got into an argument with the locals. The next day, workers of the BJP and RJD clashed, resulting in the death of a 25-year-old man, Chandan Yadav.
BJP worker Manoj Kumar, who is also one of the representatives of Mr. Rudy, had filed a complaint with the police alleging that Ms. Acharya, along with her seven supporters and 50 unidentified people, indulged in illegal activities in two booths in the Chapra Assembly seat on May 20.
The police have filed seven FIRs in the post-poll violence case and arrested two persons. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the case.
Ms. Acharya and seven others – including Mr. Prasad’s close aide and former RJD MLA Bhola Yadav – also face charges under Sections 126 (prohibition of public meetings during a period of 48 hours ending with hour fixed for conclusion of poll), 130 (prohibition of canvassing in or near polling stations) and Section 133 (penalty for illegal hiring or procuring of conveyance at elections) of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951.
Saran District Magistrate Aman Samir clarified on Wednesday that only one person died in the violence, and not two as reported earlier. The father of the victim has named 12 persons in his complaint.
The RJD handed over cheques for ₹10 lakh to the father of the deceased and ₹2 lakh each to the injured.
The Saran district administration has extended the suspension of Internet services for two more days till May 25.
On Thursday, the SIT team visited 10, Circular Road, the official residence of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, following a complaint on “misuse of security guards”. On Wednesday, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary alleged that RJD’s Patliputra candidate, Misa Bharti, and Ms. Acharya were “misusing the security guards of their parents”.
