BIHIA CHIEF COUNCILOR’S ARREST SPARKS RUMOURS

BIHIA CHIEF COUNCILOR’S ARREST SPARKS RUMOURS

1-DEC-ENG 6

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------A Facebook Live address by Chief Councilor Sachin Kumar Gupta has created a stir in political and administrative circles in Bihiya Nagar Panchayat, Bhojpur district. In this live address, Mr. Gupta not only denied the allegations against him but also declared himself innocent, citing a past rivalry with the then DSP of Jagdishpur, Rajiv Chandra Singh, as the reason for his absence. This development comes amid speculation about his arrest after the police pasted a notice at his residence, and now Mr. Gupta has spoken openly about it.

In a detailed Facebook Live address, Chief Councilor Sachin Kumar Gupta refuted all allegations that he is absconding. He firmly stated that he has been issuing letters for municipal meetings and attending them, which is strong evidence that he is not absconding. Mr. Gupta also provided a full account of the specific case in which he has been accused, claiming that it was part of a well-planned conspiracy. He clarified that the primary reason for his absence from Bihiya was a previous dispute with the then DSP of Jagdishpur, Rajiv Chandra Singh, which led to him being implicated in false cases. According to him, he was targeted because of this dispute.

However, these claims by the Chief Councilor raise several serious questions that require thorough discussion and investigation. If Sachin Kumar Gupta was indeed wanted, listed as absconding, and the police are searching for him, the question naturally arises: how did he continue to attend municipal meetings? Were the Bihiya Nagar Panchayat meetings held secretly? Does this situation not raise questions about the functioning of the Nagar Panchayat's administrative system: how was an allegedly "absconding" person attending meetings?

More importantly, how did the municipal officials discharge their duties in this critical situation? If they knew that their body's Chief Councilor was wanted by the police, did they deliberately conceal this fact from the local police station? Doesn't not sharing this information with the police constitute abuse of position or gross negligence in the discharge of one's duties? If the police were searching for him and he was attending municipal meetings, this could indicate complicity or gross negligence on the part of the municipal administration, which requires a thorough investigation. Shouldn't the municipal officials who failed to share this information with the relevant department, the State Election Commission, and other authorities also be held accountable for this situation?

Meanwhile, in his Facebook message, Sachin Gupta also made an emotional appeal to the general public of Bihiya. He described how a "dictatorial DSP" had implicated Bihiya's "first citizen" in false cases. He also alleged that the police were engaged in a cover-up in this entire matter, trying to conceal the truth and deny him justice.

The statements of Sachin Kumar Gupta, the Chief Councilor of Bihiya Nagar Panchayat, have created a complex situation in which the roles of several parties appear suspicious. On the one hand, the Chief Councilor is pleading for justice by declaring himself innocent, while on the other hand, his presence in meetings while he is absconding and the alleged silence of the municipal officials is raising serious questions on administrative transparency and accountability.