Search for Guddu Muslim, BJP targets BJD MLA Sushant Singh over UP STF visit to Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Mounting a stinging attack on the BJD government in Odisha over law and order situation, BJP on Saturday raised questions on reports about dreaded Uttar Pradesh criminal and Atiq Ahmed’s absconding aide Guddu Muslim’s presence in the state.

Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, BJP state general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar sought to know as to what the state police and the intelligence wing are doing.

Referring to UP Special Task Force (STF) team’s reported visit to Bargarh, she pointed fingers at senior ruling BJD leader and former minister Susanta Singh.

The senior BJP leader claimed that Raja Khan, a close aide of dread Guddu Muslim, is stated to be an associate of Bhatli Susanta Singh. Raja Khan also hails from Bhatli in Bargarh district and has spread a crime network in the region, she alleged.

Guddu Muslim, considered a close aide of slain gangster Atiq Ahmed, has been absconding ever since the gunning down of the gangster-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf last week.

Guddu Muslim is now in the news after several national media reports stated that he was reportedly hiding in Odisha’s Puri.

Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF), which is currently on the hunt Guddu Muslim, reportedly questioned one person at Bhatli in connection with the case. Sources identified the person as Raja Khan and it is being said that Guddu Muslim’s driver had stayed with him for some days in Bargarh after the Prayagraj incident. A native of Sundargarh, Raja Khan has been doing leather business at Bhatli. He was let off by the STF after grilling on Thursday, the sources added.

A five-member team visited Bargarh on April 18. The team camped in Bargarh for two days and grilled one person.

The senior BJP leader further claimed that notorious criminal Guddu Muslim was reportedly hiding in Puri and sought to know as to what Odisha Police was doing. This is a clear failure of intelligence and policing in the state, she alleged.

Samantsinghar also slammed the state government over the Lanjigarh gang-rape case in Kalahandi district and claimed that it took four days for police to register a case in this connection. Though seven days have passed, the police are yet to nab the accused, she claimed, adding that a girl was also raped in a hotel in Cuttack and all these show that criminals have no fear of the police in Odisha

Alleging that several ministers in the state are involved in criminal cases, the BJP leader claimed that police have taken no action against them and sought to know as to what happened to the Chief Minister’s slogan of zero tolerance towards criminals.