BSP MLA in sex scandal?

Darpan Singh, Agra

Sheetal Birla, 28, a woman college teacher and researcher, who had disappeared from Agra under mysterious circumstances and finally surfaced on Saturday, has accused BSP MLA from Dubai (Bulandshahar) Shri Bhagwan Sharma alias Guddu Pandit of trying to kill her. Contrary to earlier reports suggesting she might have been kidnapped, she said she was constantly on the run to save her life. Her father had lodged a complaint on June 17 alleging she was kidnapped by a ‘powerful person’ on May 17. The MLA has categorically denied the charges, terming them a ploy by political rivals to malign his image. When contacted on Sunday, Agra DIG NK Srivastava refused to say anything.

Sheetal was located from a house at Shikohabad in Firozabad and brought to Agra by police. She alleged that the MLA had married her at Haridwar after their first meeting that took place three years ago at a trader’s house. She said, “When I came to know that he was already married, I tried to get out of his life. But he was not willing to let go of me and wanted me to be his mistress which was not acceptable to me.” She said, “He has been after my life ever since I began trying to get rid of him. I stopped being in touch with my family as he succeeded in tracing my locations as I made phone calls.” Strangely enough, she did not level any charge in writing, saying she had lost faith in police.

She said her friend Pramod was trying to save her from the MLA and his life was also in danger. Pramod has been arrested in connection with a case lodged earlier. Sheetal has also been booked in a case of fraud. She, however, said, “Cases against both of us are concocted, lodged by the same person at Guddu’s behest.” She said she was repeatedly threatened, misbehaved and told to keep mum and the accused is a sitting MLA of the ruling party there is hardly any hope for her in this case.

The MLA, on the other hand, refuted the charges, saying, “The Chief Minister can herself look into the allegations. I do not know any woman by the name of Sheetal Birla. If charges leveled against me are found true, I will quit politics and go to jail. The girl herself is a fraud who has already been booked by the police.” Contradicting this statement, police quoted the MLA as saying, “Sheetal’s brother was a friend. I used to go to their place.” When contacted, senior police refused to say much as the matter involves a ruling party MLA. A top cop said, “The matter is being investigated. Appropriate action would be taken.”

The MLA has dared cops to find any evidence against him, saying he is ready to be booked if the police can prove anything. But Sheetal has said she has ample evidence to substantiate the charges and nail the MLA. She said, “I have a cell phone for which the SIM had been provided to me by the MLA. The SIM has been issued in the name of one of his servants. Call details will show she has spent hours talking to me.” Meanwhile, when Sheetal’s statements were being recorded by the police here on Saturday, uproarious scenes were created and she even accused an Inspector of misbehaving with her.

Incidentally, Sheetal prior to her disappearance wrote to police that a BSP MLA was threatening to kill her. Shital’s father Dinesh Chandra Birla, a businessman based in Etah, received threat calls, police sources said. Shital, who was doing her PhD in chemistry and taught at Agra College, met the politician in 2006 when he was not an MLA. In December 2006, Shital lodged a police complaint saying the politician misbehaved with her for rejecting to his advances. She, however, withdrew the complaint after the politician apologised. The BSP leader re-established contact after becoming an MLA in May 2007. On May 10 this year, Shital again approached Agra DIG NK Srivastava, alleging the politician was harassing her. “He has evil designs and I fear for my life,” she reportedly wrote.

The MLA was once associated with former BSP minister Amar Mani Tripathi, in jail for the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla. Shukla is said to have had an affair with Tripathi and had allegedly threatened to expose him after she got pregnant. However, this is not the only scandal involving Uttar Pradesh politicians. In October 2006, Meerut college professor Kavita Chaudhary was murdered allegedly by some Rashtriya Lok Dal ministers who are said to have sexually exploited her. On June 14 this year, former BSP minister Anandsen Yadav was arrested on the charge of kidnapping and murdering Faizabad college girl Shashi, 24, apparently after an affair.