SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 23: Controversy shows no sign of abating with Dhulu Mahto, the MLA of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Baghmara, Dhanbad.
Another complaint has been lodged against Dhulu Mahto for the second time within a week along with his elder brother, wife and supporters. The complaint has been filed in the Boarora police station for abusing and beating a woman in Baghmara.
The victim Kunti Devi, a resident of Chitahi, in her complaint has alleged that the MLA knocked down her shop with a Scorpio near RamrajTemple at Chitah. When she protested, Dhulu Mahto’s elder brother Sharad Mahto, Prem Mahto, wife Savitri Devi, Basant Ray and others beat her up.
Barora police got her admitted at Baghmara community health centre (CHC).
Notably, a woman from the village, Kohita Devi, later filed a case in Barora police station against Kunti Devi and Meena Devi, alleging that both of them harassed her with caste names and beat her up when she went to the temple for prayer.
Neeraj Kumar, the officer-in-charge of the Barora police station, acknowledged receiving the complaint against MLA Dhulu Mahto but said no FIR would be filed until the accusation was thoroughly investigated.
Earlier, on February 17, a hard coke industrialist of Bokaro district had lodged an FIR against Dhulu Mahto and others in Rajganj police station of Dhanbad for demanding extortion of Rs 10 lakh and demolishing the boundary wall of the factory.
However, the BJP MLA alleged that it was a conspiracy plotted by former Bokaro Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) Chairman Bijay Jha to defame him.
Bijay Jha, on the other hand, refuted the allegation and said that he was sitting with Saryu Roy (MLA) when the injured woman Kunti Devi came to him (Jamshedpur MLA) seeking help for justice against Dhulu Mahto.