Court rejects MP govt's plea to withdraw 11-yr-old case against ex-MLA

Bhopal, April 29 (IANS) A special court has rejected the Madhya Pradesh government's plea to withdraw an 11-year-old criminal case against former MLA Raghuraj Singh Kansana.

Last week, the state's Home Department had agreed to withdraw the 2012 case against the Gwalior-based BJP leader, who is accused of attempt to murder, obstructing public servant in discharging duties and voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant and dacoity.

While hearing the matter, Special Judge of the Gwalior District Court Sushil Kumar Joshi noted that the case involves serious offences, including rescuing criminals from the police custody.

"Hearing of the case is at the final stage, therefore,Aallowing its withdrawal would neither be in the interest of law nor public," the court's order available with IANS, said.

In May 2012 when Kansana was the Morena panchayat chairman (then with Congress), a team of Delhi Police had arrived in the district to arrest his brother Sanjeev Singh Kasana in a non-bailable warant issued by a court in the national capital.

After the Delhi Police took Sanjeev to the Morena City Kotwali, Raghuraj Singh Kansana and his aides freed him from custody and allegedly opened fire at the police team.

In response, the Madhya Pradesh Police booked Raghuraj Singh Kansana and aides under IPC sections 307, 186, 353, 332, 224, 225, 398 (attempt to murder, obstructing public servant in discharging duties and voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant and dacoity) and also provisions of the MP Dacoity and Kidnapping Affected Areas Act.

However, this is not the first time when Madhya Pradesh government attempted to withdraw the case against Raghuraj Singh Kansana.

In 2018 when he was elected as Congress MLA from the Morena seat, then then Kamal Nath-led government proposed to withdraw the case.

However, the state's law department in 2020 conveyed its disagreement to the Home Department.

Few months later, the Madhya Pradesh Congress suffered a major political jolt when Jyotiraditya Scindia along with 22 MLAs, including Raghuraj Singh Kansana, shifted to the BJP.

The district court posted the matter for further hearing on May 3.