JOURNALIST THREATENED

JOURNALIST THREATENED

3-SEP-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA------------------------Manoj Kumar Singh, advocate and journalist of Old Police Line under Ara town police station gave a petition in the police station for lodging of an FIR against the Toll Plaza at Kulharia blaming that the Toll Plaza employees attempted physical assault and also hurled choicest words when he had had gone there to collect news of large scale embezzlement of Central Government revenue by the Toll Plaza administration but no FIR has so far been lodged though the police registered an FIR on the application of the Toll Plaza administration against the journalist.

Subject: Regarding the registration of an FIR and an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of Central Government revenue amounting to crores of rupees.

The journalist blamed that the Toll Plaza administration called him to the Toll Plaza and when he went there, they assaulted and abused him and snatched his mobile which contained irregularities at the Toll Plaza and other crucial information and also tried to snatch his licensed pistol but he somehow escaped from the scene with the help of employees at the Old Toll facility. The journalist had already informed the Koelwar Police Station about the matter in writing. Conversely, the then Toll Supervisor, Dharmendra Jain and his associates lodged and FIR against him instead.

Manoj Kumar Singh said that as per the Central Government’s prescribed regulations, collecting toll fees via private scanners or private accounts, in addition to the mandated digital payment systems, constitutes serious irregularities. Despite, information has come to light that the then-Toll Supervisor, Dharmendra Jain, and his associates at the Kulhariya Toll Plaza in Bhojpur allegedly collected money illegally from vehicle drivers using private scanners. Evidence and documents related to this matter are being attached to this application. According to available information, dozens of individuals are involved in this activity, allegedly causing a loss of crores of rupees in Central Government revenue every month.

Therefore, I respectfully request you to order an impartial and thorough investigation into this entire matter and, based on the available evidence, register an FIR and initiate legal action against those found guilty, in accordance with the law. Furthermore, if the investigation confirms a loss of government revenue or embezzlement, the recovery of the concerned amount and strict action against the guilty must be ensured to prevent such loss of government revenue in the future.