Sita crosses Lakshman Reka

Sita crosses Lakshman Reka

FIR against Sita for abducting CBI witness, agency suspects Police doing hush-hush job

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI 

On Christmas eve JMM MLA Sita Soren amply displayed how she had not yet cut her teeth in political wisdom and had hired wrong advisors. When rest were preparing for Christmas, she allegedly perpetrated a crime to abduct her former aide Vikas Pandey who is CBI’s witness against her in Rajya Sabha horse trading case. It remained three hours jaw opening ‘abduction and rescue drama—Sita’s solo performance of crude satire on CBI’s witness protection mechanism in a case involving dozens of top politicians of Jharkhand.

On her behest her men allegedly lifted Pandey from Ranchi’s busiest place Sahjanand Chowk on Monday evening and kept him in confinement at her residence for hours. He was browbeaten to withdraw as witness. His wife Reena Pandey promptly lodged complaint at the police station.

Even after a battery of media, top CBI and police bosses rushed at her residence, police had a tough time to rescue Pandey. Images rolling on the television screen on Monday night showed her gun totting security men threatening to open fire if anybody dared to enter her official residence.

An FIR of abduction was lodged against Sita (but not against her men) on Tuesday which the CBI suspects a mere hush-hush job. This estranged daughter-in-law of JMM chief Shibu Soren retorted the charges terming it a drama scripted by her rivals. “Vikas and his men were drunk and they barged on my residence. They were not ready to go. I had not abducted him,” she said.

Meanwhile, the CBI has sent detailed reports to its headquarter and quizzed Vikas on Tuesday. Earlier, Vikas had disposed before the CBI and his revelations and evidences produced are the part of CBI’s central exhibit of evidence against Sita.

But the way CBI left one of its top witnesses unattained and unguarded all these months, have left other key witnesses worried. The delay in investigation has opened can of worms for the CBI whether it would be able to keep its witnesses intact amid internal and external threats.

Private assistant of an MLA who provided key details and inside story to the CBI about money game in March 30 Rajya Sabha elections, has been receiving regular threats.

Even a top CBI official admitted it was a mistake on the part of investigative agency not done deliberately: “Even no case of threatening witnesses in Fodder case, CWG scam and 2G scam were reported. Such small time leaders are drunk high on power and threatening witnesses. It is a serious issue of interfering in investigation. We will remain careful towards their protection,” the official said.

Sita is facing serious charges and the episode is likely to bring further legal trouble for her. “We will lose face and receive reprimand from High Court as we mention it before the court. But I can say the lady has actually signed her own arrest warrant. She will face consequences. We have strong doubts about the role of her father Baudh Narayan Manji who is her key advisor also,” the official said.

Vikas in the statement given to the CBI revealed that he had been receiving threat from Sita. She even threatened Pandey to pack off from Jharkhand.

“Sita forcefully obtained his signatures on plain papers and threatened as well. She is twisting the story. Vikas is CBI’s witness. It is case of abduction, wrongful confinement, tampering with evidence and lot more. We are investigating the case,” CBI DSP AK Jha who is investing RS poll case said.