BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on May 23rd 2021 Sunday, did not appear in person or online as directed before the Rajpur police in Chhattisgarh in connection with an FIR registered against him and senior colleague Raman Singh over an alleged fake toolkit.
Patra, who was asked to appear at 4:00 PM On May 23rd 2021, before personnel from Civil Lines police station, where the FIR is registered, exempted himself citing personal reasons.
The FIR was registered against Raman Singh, BJP vice president and former chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Patra and others in Rajpur on 19th May 2021, Wednesday under the charges of spreading fake news and promoting enmity between classes in the alleged toolkit row.
The case was filed at the Civil Lines police station and a complaint was lodged by Akash Sharma, president of national student’s union of India unit (NSUI) Chhattisgarh unit who alleged that Singh, Patra and others had circulated a toolkit using the letter of the Congress. Patra, did not appear before the police investigators.
According to Patra's advocate, he was busy in some personal engagement and sought one week to appear before police.
A similar notice has been issued to Singh asking him to remain present in his residence at 12:30 PM on May 24th 2021, Monday, for the recording of the statement in connection with the case. Civil Lines police said that Patra is a suspect in the case of alleged toolkit, therefore it has been directed to him to appear either in person or through video conference on 23rd May 2021 at 4:00 PM for the investigation of the case. Not complying with the notice is going to attract legal action.
Twitter, recently labelled as manipulated media, a tweet of Patra on the alleged involvement in toolkit prepared by Congress to target the Narendra Modi government. The Congress had on May 20th 2021, Thursday, returned to Twitter asking it to permanently suspend the account of BJP president JP Nadda union ministers Smriti Irani, Patra and other BJP leaders for allegedly spreading misinformation and unrest in the society.
The Congress had said that working documents flagged by the BJP are fake and has filed a police complaint against its leaders. BJP has been attacking Congress over some controversial content of the so called covid toolkit.
