MP: FIR in opposition to Medha Patkar, 11 others for ‘misuse’ of funds; she denies allegations

By PTI

BARWANI: An FIR was registered in opposition to Narmada Bachao Andolan chief Medha Patkar and 11 others in Madhya Pradesh’s Barwani district on a grievance by a villager alleging the misuse of funds collected for managing instructional amenities for tribal college students by diverting them for “political and anti-national agenda”, police stated on Sunday.

Patkar has dismissed the allegations in opposition to her as “wrong”, saying she had a full account and audit of the bills and hinted at political causes behind the allegations.

Barwani superintendent of police Deepak Kumar Shukla informed PTI over the telephone {that a} case was registered in opposition to Medha Patkar and others following a personal grievance, through which the complainant has supplied some paperwork.

“As the case is related to old transactions, a detailed investigation will be carried out,” he stated.

The FIR was registered on the Barwani police station on Saturday on the grievance of 1 Pritamraj Badole, a resident of Temla Bujurg village.

Badole has alleged that Narmada Navnirman Abhiyan (NNA), a belief registered in Mumbai, misused funds collected for working residential instructional amenities for tribal college students of the Narmada Valley in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, as per the FIR.

The complainant said that the NNA had obtained Rs 13.50 crore from numerous sources prior to now 14 years however these funds have been used for a “political and anti-national agenda”, which requires a probe.

Those named within the FIR are Medha Patkar, Parveen Rumi Jahangir, Vijaya Chouhan, Kailash Awasya, Mohan Patidar, Ashish Mandloi, Kewal Singh Vasave, Sanjay Joshi, Shyam Patil, Sunit SR, Noorji Padvi and Keshav Vasave.

“The case is related to two states, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The documents and facts will be verified and all the parties concerned will be allowed to present their sides and facts. Further legal steps will be taken as per the facts that emerge during the investigation,” the SP stated.

Rubbishing the allegations, Patkar stated she was but to obtain any info on this growth (registration of the FIR) from the police.

Patkar claimed it was not the primary time that she was being subjected to such allegations and asserted she was able to reply to all of them as the complete accounts and audit of the funds have been obtainable.

She alleged the complainant could also be related to the RSS and ABVP and reiterated that her organisation doesn’t obtain funds from overseas and all funds are completely audited yearly.

“The funds were used appropriately and the ‘jiwanshalas’ being run at present have been there for the past three decades. The organisation has been involved in rehabilitation for decades. It has always given replies to such allegations with documents,” Patkar stated.

The activist, nonetheless, additionally stated she did not cope with funds and bills, that are taken care of by different functionaries.

Patkar, who claimed {that a} debate is underway within the nation on ‘rashtravad’ (nationalism) and “rashtradroh (treason/sedition), stated there could also be political causes behind this case or it could be a conspiracy to defame.

“Those who do the right thing by asking questions about the system are called anti-nationals. The public will decide,” she stated.