‘Send me to jail’: Union minister Ashwini Choubey taunts officer in Bihar, administration files case

The district administration in Bihar’s Buxar lodged a case against Union minister of state and BJP’s nominee from Buxar parliamentary seat Ashwini Choubey on Sunday for violating the model code of conduct and stopping a government officer from doing his duty

Choubey had allegedly misbehaved with the sub divisional magistrate Krishna Kumar Upadhayay Saturday night after the officer stopped his convoy for having more cars than permitted according to election rules. In a, widely circulated video, Choubey is heard having an altercation with Upadhayay for the latter’s bid to stop his convoy during the electioneering in the constituency.

“Who has given the orders? Send me to jail but you cannot seize my vehicles like that,” the minister was heard in the video while sitting on the front seat of his car. The SDM tried to pacify the minister explaining he was only implementing election commission orders. Later, speaking to newsmen, the SDM said there were 35-40 cars in the convoy of the minister without permission.

District Magistrate of Buxar Raghvendra Singh said that a case had been filed against the minister under various sections including stopping a government officer from doing his duty.

“We have taken cognizance of the incident concerning the minister. A case has been lodged against him,” he said. A few sections have also been included in the case against the minister pertaining to violation of model code of conduct, sources said. Sources said the FIR was filed after the SDM gave a detailed report of Saturday night’s incident.

The Election Commission has also taken cognizance of the matter and sought a report from the DM.

“We are waiting for a report from DM, Buxar and further action would be taken,” said Bihar’s chief electoral officer, H R Srinivasa.

The minister, who is seeking re-election from Buxar, did not make any official comment on the spat with the SDM and could not be reached for comments.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in a tweet took potshots at the minister, saying the senior BJP leader had probably started panicking at the prospect of losing the polls from Buxar seat.

“Har dekh ke abhi se panic ho gaye, abhi toh May baki hai” (He has panicked because of impending defeat, and May is still to come), the tweet of the opposition leader read.