Raipur: BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Sunday did not appear in person or online as directed before Raipur police in Chhattisgarh in connection with an FIR registered against him and senior colleague Raman Singh over an alleged fake toolkit, officials said.
Patra, who was asked to appear at 4 pm on Sunday before personnel from Civil Lines police station, where the FIR is registered, exempted himself citing personal reasons, they added.
The FIR was registered against Raman Singh, BJP vice president and former chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Patra, and others in Raipur on May 19 under the charges of spreading fake news and promoting enmity between classes in the alleged toolkit row.
The case was filed at the Civil Lines police station following a complaint lodged by Akash Sharma, president of the National Students' Union of India's (NSUI) Chhattisgarh unit who alleged that Singh, Patra and others had circulated a fake "toolkit" using the letterhead of the Congress.
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"Patra did not appear before police investigators. As per his advocate, Patra was busy in some personal engagements and sought one week to appear before police," said Civil Lines station house officer R K Mishra.
