Patna, May 31: With the opposition gunning for his removal, Bihar Urban Development Minister Prem Kumar today said he would abide by the order of the judiciary instead of yielding to "any pressure from any quarter."
"I am not going to oblige... instead of yielding to any pressure from any quarter I will adhere to the directive of the judiciary," Kumar, a senior BJP leader, said while ruling out the possibility of his resignation. "It is just a political case registered against me at the behest of the erstwhile Lalu Prasad government," he said. "I will not like to offer more comment as the matter is subjudice," he said.
The Patna High Court had on March 9 directed Kumar to file supplementary affidavit with regard to his criminal writ petition seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against him by Gaya Kotwali police station.
Kumar has been charged with being part of a procession which allegedly pelted stones at the police in 1992 to protest against murder of a local trader.
A single bench of justice Shailesh Kumar Sinha issued the directive following plea made by Kumar's lawyers that he was not part of a procession which was charged with throwing stones.
The allegation against Kumar, who was an opposition party leader in 1992, was that he had led the procession. The FIR added that the processionists had clashed with the police. Earlier, while hearing the petition of Kumar, the court had issued a directive that no coercive action be taken against him.
LJP had demanded Kumar's removal for allegedly suppressing information that he was declared an absconder in the instant case of rioting and assault by a court 15 years ago while filing his nomination for the assembly elections. State unit LJP President Pashupati Kumar Paras had alleged that Kumar was declared an absconder by the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Gaya vide an order dated March 23, 1996 in connection with the case.
When contacted, Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi said as there was stay granted by the High Court on the proceedings of the superior court, the opposition should await the final verdict.
“There is no question of Kumar tendering his resignation at this stage,” Modi said, adding if the opposition had document, it should go to the Election Commission with the complaint that the membership of Kumar to the state assembly be quashed for allegedly concealing the case in the affidavit filed at the time of the elections.
State BJP president C P Thakur said “we will try to find out and take necessary action.” PTI
