Chhattisgarh HC gives interim relief to Raman Singh, Sambit Patra in toolkit case

Providing interim relief to the two BJP leaders, Chhattisgarh High Court on Monday stayed the FIR against former Chief Minister Raman Singh and party spokesperson Sambit Patra in connection with the alleged fake toolkit case.

The Court has stayed the investigation in the FIR till the next date of hearing.

Chhattisgarh unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) had lodged an FIR against Singh and Patra in the fake toolkit in Civil Lines Police station, Raipur in May after BJP had slammed Congress for its "toolkit on COVID-19 pandemic".

Addressing the media on May 18, Patra had alleged that the toolkit contains instructions for social media volunteers of Congress to call the new COVID-19 mutant as "Indian strain" or "Modi strain" against the World Health Organization (WHO)'s instructions.

Congress, however, denied the allegations and wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner seeking registration of FIR against Patra, BJP president JP Nadda, Union Minister Smriti Irani, party leader BL Santhosh, and others alleging that they had shared "forged and fabricated documents with the intent to create communal disharmony and civil unrest" and to "divert attention from Modi government's failure in providing necessary aid to people amidst the current pandemic".

The complaint was made after remarks by BJP leaders on social media with the hashtag #CongressToolkitExposed in which they accused Congress of spreading "false, negative news and stirring up discontent".

After the FIR was lodged, BJP Vice President and Raman Singh had alleged, "Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi directed Chhattisgarh CM to file an FIR against us."

( With inputs from ANI )