Madhya Pradesh legislator held for youth’s disappearance

BHOPAL - Former Madhya Pradesh minister Kamal Patel has been arrested for the disappearance of a youth who went missing allegedly from his residence March 5, 2008, officials said Friday. Patel, whose son Sandeep is the main accused, said he was being falsely implicated.

Patel, a legislator of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was arrested late Thursday here by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on charges of criminal conspiracy and destroying evidence in the case, an official said.

Special CBI Judge Shubra Singh remanded Patel in 14 days judicial custody till June 3. He was state revenue minister at the time of the incident.

“I am innocent in the case and the CBI is falsely trying to implicate me,” Patel told reporters before leaving for the CBI court in Indore.

The high court had ordered a CBI probe into the disappearance of Durgesh Jat, a friend of Sandeep, after the victim’s father filed a case.

According to Durgesh’s father Ramvilas Jat, his college-going son has been missing since March 5, 2008. Quoting Durgesh’s friend, Jat said his son was last seen in Patel’s then official residence from where he was taken to an undisclosed destination in the presence of then Harda Superintendent of Police A.K. Jha. He is at present superintendent of police (Training School) at Pachmarhi.

Durgesh’s body has not been found till date. Patel’s son Sandeep, who was arrested for the murder, is on bail.

Jat said he had learnt that his son had suffered a gunshot wound at Patel’s residence, where he had accompanied Sandeep and some other boys. As his son was injured, he was taken from Patel’s house and there has been no news about him since then.

Whenever he approached Patel’s residence, he was assured that Durgesh was undergoing treatment and would return soon, but he never showed up.

Jat said he feared that the legislator’s son might have killed Durgesh. He said he requested for a CBI probe as the state police, despite repeated complaints and requests, failed to act.

Kamal Patel was interrogated at a guest house here a few weeks ago as well.