Indore, India 23 April 2025 – GSM News:
A day after Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) Leader of Opposition was arrested following clashes with a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, top Congress leaders visited him in the prison and accused the ruling party of acting out of “arrogance of power”.
Madhya Pradesh Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary and president Jitu Patwari were among the leaders who met Chintu Choukse and said that he was targeted for raising his voice against corruption in the civic body.
Mr. Choukse, a Congress councillor, was arrested on Sunday (April 20, 2025) on charges of attempted murder, after he and his family members were involved in a brawl with a local BJP leader Kapil Pathak on Saturday (April 19, 2025) night. He is currently in judicial custody.
According to the police, Mr. Pathak had received serious head injuries and was in the hospital. Another man was arrested along with Choukse, on a complaint given by Mr. Pathak
Speaking to reporters outside the prison, Mr. Choudhary said that the case against Mr. Choukse was lodged out of “political vengeance” and that it was not a case of attempt to murder.
“The entire Madhya Pradesh is watching that these people [the BJP] have forgotten humanity in its arrogance of power. Choukse has been arrested by registering a false case against him due to political animosity,” he said, adding that the fight was also “pre-planned”.
He added that the Congress will fight for Mr. Choukse legally as well as on the streets.
Mr. Patwari also claimed that Mr. Chuokse, booked for attempt of murder, was targeted for raising questions on corruption in the civic body.
“Choukse was booked because he raised questions about the payment of Rs 2,000 crore of fake bills in the IMC involving their [BJP’s] Mayor and councillors. He was implicated in a false case of attempted murder to suppress the voice of the opposition,” he said, adding that Mr. Chokes had also alleged higher expenditure in the Indore metro project than the proposed amount.
Claiming that the entire episode was linked to his allegations, Mr. Patwari said that the fight with his family members was “deliberately started” and Mr. Choukse had only gone to resolve the issue.
“There is no visual or evidence and despite that he was booked for attempt to murder,” he said.
Published in The Hindu Media
