10 Men Held For Manhandling Truck Driver, Link Raj Mining Minister To Illegal Gravel Trade

Kota: Ten people led by a worker of the ruling Congress were arrested in Rajasthan’s Baran district after they allegedly roughed up a driver of a truck seized for illegally transporting gravel and later raised slogans levelling charges at the state mining minister, police said. The party worker, Naresh Meena (38) claims to be a supporter of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and had tested positive for coronavirus recently.

Along with nine of his supporters, Meena came to the spot on Thursday morning and manhandled the truck driver and helper, according to the police. They dispersed from the spot and later gathered outside Kawai police station raising slogans against state Mining Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya and the state government for their alleged ties with the illegal gravel mafia.

Earlier, Congress Sangod MLA Bharat Singh Kundanpur had written a letter on September 14 to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for removal of the “most corrupt minister” of his cabinet. However, he did not name anyone in the letter. MLA Singh said in the letter that “what is required is to remove the most corrupt minister of your cabinet to convey a message to the public”. One time earlier, while being the chief minister you have removed him.” Mining Minister Bhaya, who represents Mangole-Anta constituency of Baran district, is believed to be the minister named in the letter.

The 10 men were later arrested for interrupting the “government’s functioning and spreading the pandemic” under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Epidemic Diseases Act while the coronavirus positive accused was shifted to a COVID centre, SHO at Kawai police station Rajpal Singh said. He said Meena had tested positive for the virus on September 14 in Sawai Madhopur district.

The protesters were briefed about the police action against illegal gravel transportation but they continued to raise slogans, the SHO further said.

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