Predicament: Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi

Patna, Oct. 16: Darbhanga police today conceded that the name of Union minister of state for human resource development and Darbhanga MP Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi cropped up during an interrogation of six accused arrested for conspiring to murder Darbhanga deputy mayor Bobby Khan.

No FIR, however, has been registered against the minister. But a police team would soon travel to New Delhi to “question” the RJD minister.

Darbhanga town deputy SP Parvez Khan said: “We have arrested six persons, all with criminal antecedents, with arms at a raid today. One of the accused, Allan Khan, named Fatmi in a conspiracy to kill Bobby Khan soon after municipal elections a few months ago.”

The accused, Allan Khan, who faces two murder charges, in the presence of executive magistrate said Fatmi, along with “some other leaders”, “held a meeting to discuss ways to eliminate Bobby Khan, who could create problems in future polls”.

The minister was not available for comments.

So far, deputy mayor Khan has been provided with an armed security guard (since October 11) following a request from him and corresponding intelligence report with the police, admitted the the town DSP.

A formal case of threat and conspiracy would be lodged against the MP only if the police are convinced about the veracity of the allegation, added DSP Pervez Khan. DSP Khan said:

“Our team might ask the minister if any such meeting with the other names mentioned during interrogation actually took place. If he admits of conducting such a meeting with the mentioned names we would like to know when and where.”

Meanwhile, Darbhanga police has intensified security in the town to pre-empt any clash between supporters of the two groups.

The deputy mayor Bobby Khan termed it a “political conspiracy by RJD strong arm MP Fatmi”.

“So far Darbhanga has been synonymous with Fatmi. Now that I am creating a political space for myself, the MP is envious of my popularity and wants to eliminate me,” said the deputy mayor demanding prolonged security cover.

“It’s not up to any individual to finish me off. It’s god or public, who can either take me up to great heights and throw me in deep valleys,” the deputy mayor added philosophically.