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.
