BSP MLA Ram Bai’s husband Govind arrested from Bhind

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh special task force (STF) on Sunday arrested Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Ram Bai’s absconding husband – Govind Singh from Bhind, after a frantic search operation.
He was rounded up from the bus stand area. Director general of police (DGP) Vivek Johri said he would be produced before Damoh district court. Searches were being carried out at multiple locations, he added.
The Supreme Court had warned the director general of police (DGP) to either comply with the court’s order for his arrest, or face coercive action.
A bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud had ruled, "We find the affidavit of the Director General of Police to be completely unacceptable. It defies reason as to how an accused who is the spouse of a sitting member of the legislative assembly has not been arrested despite being arraigned in pursuance of the provisions of Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 to face trial for an offence under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code 1860."
DGP Madhya Pradesh had filed affidavit stating that despite the efforts which have been made in pursuance of the previous order dated March 12, 2021, the police have not been able to apprehend and arrest the accused.
After going through the affidavit court had said further that “An effort is being made to shield the accused from the due process of criminal law. The Court was informed that earlier, the accused was even given security by the police though it is stated by Counsel for the State that it is now withdrawn”.
Order reads, “We issue a direction to the Director General of Police to take necessary steps to ensure that the previous order of this Court is complied with before the next date of listing, failing which the Court will be constrained to take coercive steps in accordance with law”.
DGP has also been asked to submit a further affidavit setting out: (i) The date on which and the cause on the basis of which security was granted to the accused; (ii) Whether the security continues to be provided as of date; and (iii) If not, the date on which the security was withdrawn.
Next date of hearing has been slated for April 5. Recently police headquarters had increased the bounty on any information leading to the arrest of Govind Singh to Rs 50000 besides sending a special team led by chief of special task force (STF) for raiding villages in Damoh district. Police and local administration also demolished walls of a land encroached upon by the BSP MLA’s family in Damoh. Police had also arrested Govind’s brother and nephew.
Govind Singh – is accused in the two-year-old murder case of Congress leader Davendra Chourasia. PHQ had ordered STF chief Vipin Maheswari to ensure his arrest following the Supreme Court’s direction of the DGP V K Johri, taking serious note of the state police’s failure to round up the accused. In the previous hearing, the apex court had also taken ‘serious note’ of the alleged harassment of a judicial officer by the Damoh Superintendent of Police and asked the DGP to inquire into the allegations levelled by the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ).
The ASJ, who is conducting a trial in the cases involving Govind Singh, the husband of BSP MLA Rambai Singh, has arrayed him as an accused in the murder case under section 319 of CrpC (Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence), according to agency reports. The judge had noted in his February 8 order that he is being pressured by the Damoh SP and his subordinates.
SC was hearing pleas by Devendra Chaurasia’s son, and the state government seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Davendra Singh in another case. Court said that the ASJ has apprehended that he may be subjected to an "unpleasant incident" in the future.