Bhopal: A case has been registered against Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari after a man alleged that the senior leader bribed him to falsely claim he was forced to eat human excreta.
The FIR, filed at Mungaoli police station in Ashoknagar district, accuses Patwari and two Congress workers — Avinash Jain and Mahesh Soni — of criminal conspiracy, fabricating false evidence, and promoting enmity under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), reported the Hindustan Times.
The controversy erupted earlier this week after a video surfaced of a man, identified as Gajraj Lodhi, alleging that the son of a village sarpanch in Mungaoli had forcibly made him and his brother consume human waste. The video sparked outrage, prompting Patwari to hold a press conference on June 25 in Orchha, where he condemned the incident and demanded justice for the victims.
However, in a dramatic twist, Gajraj Lodhi later retracted his claims. He submitted an affidavit to the Ashoknagar district collector stating that he had made the false allegation under pressure and inducement. According to Lodhi, Patwari and the two Congress workers promised him a motorcycle and financial support if he agreed to go public with the fabricated story.
Police acted on a complaint lodged by BJP worker Satyapal Singh Yadav, who alleged that the entire episode was orchestrated to malign the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government. Lodhi’s affidavit supported these claims, saying he had no personal enmity with the sarpanch’s family and that he was persuaded to level the charges to gain political mileage.
Superintendent of Police (Ashoknagar) Monika Shukla confirmed that a case had been filed based on the complaint and the affidavit. “We have registered a case under sections related to criminal conspiracy, making false charges, promoting enmity, and public mischief,” she said.
Reacting to the FIR, Patwari said he was not afraid of any legal proceedings. “I welcome the FIR. I raised the issue of injustice against Dalits and backward classes. The government is rattled and wants to suppress the voice of the people,” he told reporters.
Patwari maintained that he only highlighted what was reported to him and claimed the FIR was politically motivated. “This FIR won’t deter me from fighting for the rights of the oppressed,” he added.
The episode has triggered a fresh political slugfest in the poll-bound state, with the BJP accusing the Congress of manufacturing fake narratives to defame the government. Congress leaders, meanwhile, defended Patwari, calling the police action an attempt to intimidate the opposition.
