File picture of former BJP minister KV Singhdeo

Balangir, May 4: Former minister and BJP legislator of Patnagarh Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo found himself embroiled in a controversy as the police had registered a case against him acting on a complaint of executive engineer of the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) of Balangir Manohar Naik.

In his complaint, the engineer alleged that the former minister, along with his supporters, had allegedly physically and verbally abused him. They allegedly used obscene language and manhandled the engineer when he had gone to the leader who was on a fast-unto-death in front of the RWSS office in Kantabanjhi last Friday .

The executive engineer, in his complaint, said: “When I, along with an assistant engineer, had gone to them to discuss the demands with Singhdeo and his supporters, they were in no mood to listen to us. Singhdeo tried to slap me while one of his supporters, Ramakanta Mahapatra, gave a blow on my face with another supporter holding my neck. Singhdeo even made casteist remarks. He warned me of dire consequence if I went against him or his supporters.” Titilagarh SDPO Gananath Joshi said police had registered case against Singhdeo and his two supporters.

“We have registered case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Sections 341, 323, 307, 294, 506 and 34 of the IPC against Singhdeo and his two aides. At present, we are examining the case,” Joshi said.

In another development, the Zilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangh (ZAKS) has demanded arrest of the former minister for allegedly torturing the tribal engineer.

A delegate of the ZAKS recently met tribal welfare minister Bijaya Singh Beriha to discuss issues relating to welfare in tribal areas. Satya Narayan Bhoi of the ZAKS said the minister had manhandled the engineer. “Singhdeo is already accused of helping people to get fake caste certificates in the district by showing general people as tribal. He should be arrested,” Bhoi said.

Singhdeo dismissed all allegations against him as baseless. “The engineer has deliberately made the complaint to show me in bad light,” he said.