Bhopal, Jul 5 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested Pravesh Shukla after a purported video showing him urinating on a tribal man went viral on social media, and slapped the National Security Act (NSA) on him.
He was arrested during a mid-night raid on Tuesday. The raiding police team took him to district police headquarters here for interrogation.
Shukla, 35, is said to be associated with the ruling BJP and the party's local MLA.
The outrageous incident has sparked a political controversy in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
On the direction of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, local police booked Shukla under Section 294 and 504 IPC as well as under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on Tuesday. The National Security Act (NSA) has also been invoked against the accused.
"The accused was constantly changing his location as he knew that police were searching him. Multiple teams of police were deployed to nab him. We have taken the accused into custody. He is under interrogation. Further legal action in the matter will be taken soon," said Anju Lata Patle, ASP, Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh.
The incident came to light after a purported video showing Pravesh Shukla smoking and urinating on the poor tribal man went viral on social media.
DIG Rewa division (as Sidhi district falls under Rewa division) Mithilesh Shukla said a primary investigation has revealed that the accused, Pravesh Shukla, and the victim, Dashmat Rawat, both hail from Kubri village under Bahri police station area of Sidhi district. The incident caught on camera too reportedly happened in the village.
Both the BJP and Congress leadership have condemned the incident and have demanded stringent punishment for Pravesh Shukla for his inhumane act.
The BJP leadership, including local MLA Kedarnath Shukla claimed Pravesh Shukla wasn't associated with the BJP. But, the photographs uploaded on social media accounts (of Pravesh) suggested that he was associated with the BJP and once he was the representative of MLA (Sidhi) Kedarnath Shukla.
Highly placed sources told IANS that Pravesh Shukla was very close to Kedarnath Shukla and he has been working for him for the last several years.
Madhya Pradesh Congress head Kamal Nath while condemning the incident said, "The cruelty which happened with the tribal man can have no place in civilized society. Also, the accused, who is said to be associated with the ruling BJP, is even more shocking. MP is already number one in the country when it comes to crime against the tribals. This latest incident has shamed the entire state."
Interestingly, possibly anticipating that the video will put him into big trouble, Pravesh Shukla's uncle had earlier lodged a complaint with the local police in Sidhi district on July 1, about his nephew Pravesh missing since June 29. In the complaint, it has been alleged that they apprehend that Pravesh might commit suicide, as a fake video has been made by some to get him implicated in a false case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Also, on July 3, the victim tribal man has given an affidavit (possibly under pressure) about the video being fake and having been filmed to get Pravesh implicated in a false case.