Congress leader's arrest in Indore on attempt to murder charge is BJP's act of vengeance, says party

NEW DELHI: The Congress party on Monday protested the arrest of Chintu Choukse, opposition leader in the Indore Municipal Corporation, who was charged with attempted murder following a clash with BJP worker Kapil Pathak over a parked tractor, calling it a politically motivated action by the ruling BJP.

The incident occurred on Saturday night in the Hira Nagar area when Choukse and his family members got into an altercation with Pathak regarding the removal of a tractor parked in front of their house. Pathak sustained serious head injuries during the confrontation.

Police arrested Choukse under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita section 109 for attempted murder, and he was placed in central jail under judicial custody.

"The BJP has forgotten humanity in its arrogance of power. Choukse has been arrested by registering a false case against him due to political animosity. There is no case of attempt to murder against him," said Congress's Madhya Pradesh in-charge Harish Chaudhary after meeting Choukse in jail.

Chaudhary noted that Choukse's nephew was seriously injured in the brawl and remains under 48-hour hospital observation, but proper action against the accused has not been taken. He vowed to fight for Choukse "from the streets to the court."

State Congress President Jitu Patwari, who accompanied Chaudhary to meet Choukse, said, "Choukse raised questions about the payment of Rs 2,000 crore of fake bills in the IMC. He raised the issue of corruption in the city's metro project. He was implicated in a false case of attempted murder to suppress the voice of the opposition."

Patwari also accused the police of taking biased action against opposition leaders under pressure from the ruling BJP.