Cong MLA arrested in cheating case in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa; sent to jail till Jan 22

Janjgir-Champa, Jan 9 (PTI) Congress MLA Baleshwar Sahu was arrested on Friday in a cheating and forgery case in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district, a police official said.

The legislator from Jaijaipur constituency was booked along with one Gautam Rathore in October last year on the complaint of Rajkumar Sharma (46), a resident of Sara Gaon police station area here, he added.

"As per the complaint, Sahu was a manager of a cooperative society in Bamhanidih, while Rathore was its salesman between 2015 and 2020. The duo allegedly advised Sharma to take a Kisan Credit Card loan against his 50 acres of land. Then Sahu and Rathore opened an account for Sharma at a private bank in Champa and also took a blank cheque from him. Sahu transferred Rs 24 lakh into his own account and that of his wife," the official said.

"Sharma has claimed the accused withdrew a total of Rs 42.78 lakh by forging his signatures and thumb impressions as well as that of his mother and wife. On Friday, a chargesheet was submitted against the MLA and Rathore in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM). After taking cognisance of the chargesheet, the court issued a jail warrant," he said.

Sahu moved a regular bail application in the same court, which was rejected, following which he was remanded in judicial custody till January 22, the official said.

Rathore was arrested earlier in the case and is currently out on bail, the official added. PTI COR TKP BNM