It was alleged that Bharti pushed presiding officer Sheo Pujan Jha of Booth 34 in Bikram and then broke the EVM.
It has been alleged that RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti, who is a contesting from Patliputra constituency in Bihar has damaged an EVM. A police complaint was filed against Bharti for the same.
It was alleged that Bharti pushed presiding officer Sheo Pujan Jha of Booth 34 in Bikram and then broke the EVM. anapur sub-divisional officer Rahul Kumar confirmed the news and said that the matter was being probed. He also confirmed that an FIR was lodged in this regard at the Bihta police station.
Television reports quoted the RJD chief, who came out in defense of his daughter, as saying that it was the presiding officer who broke the EVM after Bharti complained to him. Prasad also threatened to lodge a case against the polling officials.
“Misa did not damage the EVM. BJP workers had captured the booth When Misa objected to it and complained, the polling party damaged the EVM. We will file a complaint against them,” said Lalu Prasad.
Earlier, her party came out in the open to defend her. The party had claimed that she resorted to vandalisation only after a few BJP supporters reportedly manhandled her at the booth. Spokesperson of the RJD, Manoj Jha, had claimed that Bharti only protested before the polling official over alleged capturing of the booth (by her rival candidate’s supporters).
Bharti, who holds an MBBS degree from the Patna University, already has a case registered against her under Sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 171 (F) (Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election) of Indian Penal Code and being heard in a Danapur court, as mentioned in her affidavit.
The 39-year-old is fighting from Pataliputra against two seasoned politicians once considered her father’s close aides — the BJP’s current nominee Ram Kripal Yadav and sitting MP Ranjan Prasad Yadav of the JD(U).
