BJP’s Baghmara MLA Dhullu surrenders in court after months of evading arrest

Sindri: BJP’s Baghmara MLA Dhullu Mahto surrendered before a court in Dhanbad on Monday after months of remaining a fugitive, following “extortion” and “assault” charges dating back to 2016.
Later, the court of first class judicial magistrate Sangita forwarded Dhullu and co-accused Kapil Rana to jail. Both arrived at the court long with their lawyer and close supporters. The lawyer, S N Mukherjee, submitted a surrender cum bail petition.
Mukherjee pleaded before the court that the case against the MLA was filed to pressurise him for filing an extortion petition against the complainant. Assistant public prosecutor Soni Kumar opposed the bail, arguing that the allegations against the complainant were baseless, and said, “The court rejected the MLA’s bail petition and forwarded him to judicial custody.”
The case relates to charges filed by complainant Irshad Alam of Muzaffarpur in Bihar against Dhullu, who reportedly demanded Rs 55 lakh to return some vehicles. In his complaint to police on March 22, 2020, Alam said in 2016, he had bought a dumper truck along with drilling machines and other equipment from a Kolkata-based financer and was authorised to collect the items from a place near the Muraidih colliery of BCCL. When he went came to Muraidih along with four of his employees in March 2016, he was reportedly not allowed to collect the vehicles by the MLA till the amount was paid. Alam said he was also brutally assaulted for refusing to pay the amount.
After Alam filed a complaint, Barora police lodged a case under various sections of IPC and Arms Act against the MLA. Police also recovered the vehicles from a campus reportedly occupied by the MLA illegally.
Dhullu had earlier filed a case with Barora police against Alam for extortion. Police traced Alam to Bihar and was bought to Dhanbad. Alam, however, refuted the allegations and counter-charged the MLA with trying to extort him for the return his vehicles. He was later released on bail by a court.