– Raheem Khan
Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has found himself at the center of a fresh controversy over his ongoing foreign visit to Japan and South Korea, as he faces a legal challenge connected to the Gopalgarh riots in Bharatpur, which occurred 11 years ago.
A petition filed in the Jaipur District Court accuses Sharma, who is an accused in the riot case and currently out on bail, of violating his bail conditions by embarking on the international trip. The petition seeks the cancellation of his bail and his arrest. The court is set to hear the matter on September 24.
The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) has also raised concerns, politicizing the issue through a tweet on Thursday. The RPCC shared a copy of the petition, accusing Sharma of disregarding legal obligations. The Congress alleges that by traveling abroad without seeking prior permission from the court, the Chief Minister has breached his bail conditions. Furthermore, the party emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that such conduct by someone in a constitutional position is highly irresponsible.
The petition, filed by Advocate Sanwar Chaudhary in the Jaipur ADJ-4 court, highlighted that Sharma was granted anticipatory bail on September 10, 2013, with a specific condition that he would not leave the country without the court’s approval. Despite this, Sharma traveled abroad without seeking clearance and is currently participating in the Rising Rajasthan Investment Summit in Japan and South Korea.
In 2013, nine members of the Meo Muslim community lost their lives in a firing incident at a mosque during communal unrest in Gopalgarh, Bharatpur. The state government at the time handed over investigation to CBI, which named Sharma as an accused. Sharma is alleged to have participated in a Hindu Panchayat prior to the incident. Following the registration of the case, he was granted anticipatory bail, with conditions including furnishing two sureties of Rs 50,000 each and a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.
