Mohan Markam, President of the Chhattisgarh Congress, makes serious allegations against BJP candidate Brahmanand Netam.

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Raipur. Chhattisgarh Congress President Mohan Markam has levelled serious allegations against BJP candidate for the Bhanupratappur by-poll, Brahmanand Netam, dragging his name into the gang rape of a minor and pushing her into prostitution. He told the media in Kanker on Sunday.

Mohan Markam said that a case has been registered against him in the Jamshedpur district of Jharkhand state. He also showed a copy of the FIR to the media, accusing Brahmanand Netam of pushing a 15-year-old girl into prostitution after her gang rape in 2019. The PCC chief said that the police had registered an FIR naming five accused, after which 10 to 12 accused came to the fore in the investigation, including the BJP candidate.

He revealed that the victim had written down the names of all the gang rape accused in a diary. Jharkhand Police arrested Sheetal alias Sapna Mahato, Surendra Sinha, belonging to Chhattisgarh, from Mahasamund in 2019. The name of Brahmanand Netam is in the challan. At the time of the FIR, Jharkhand had a BJP government led by Raghubar Das. Brahmanand Netam has been charged under sections 366a, 376(3), 376ab, 376 and 120b, 4/6 of POCSO 4,5,6,7,9 of IPC.

Mohan Markam stated that the Jharkhand Police had launched an investigation based on the CDR report of the key accused and the diary recovered from the victim, which revealed the identity of Brahmanand Netam. Jharkhand Police have arrested five of the accused, and a search is underway to apprehend the remaining suspects. The PCC Chief stated that BJP candidates can get arrested at any time and that if the BJP respects women, they should immediately stop promoting Brahmanand Netam.

Mohan Markam said that the BJP candidate has not mentioned this incident anywhere in the nomination papers for the by-poll. Apart from this, the Legal Department of the Pradesh Congress Committee has complained to the Chief Electoral Officer about BJP candidate Brahmanand Netam. The Congress has alleged that during the nomination on November 17, more than five people were present in the room. Congress has demanded action against the BJP candidate from the Chief Electoral Officer.

The Congress has said that the BJP candidates and leaders have violated the rules during the nomination. The state president of the legal department of the Congress, Deva Dewangan, has handed over the complaint letter to the Chief Electoral Officer. During the nomination of BJP candidate BrahmanandNetam, former CM Dr Raman Singh, BJP State President Arun Sao, Leader of Opposition Narayan Chandel, Bhanupratappur Assembly in-charge BrijmohanAgarwal, RamvicharNetam, former State President Vikram Usendi, Kanker MP Mohan Mandavi, State President of MahilaMorchaShalini Rajput, District President SatishLathia, senior leader NandkumarSai and other leaders were also present in the nomination room.

The by-election for the Bhanupratappur assembly seat in the Kanker district is to be held on December 5. The seat fell vacant after the death of Congress MLA Manoj Singh Mandavi last month. The Election Commission of India released the schedule for this election on November 5.