Fugitive MLA finds voice at Mulayam’s rally on cellphone

Mishra,a history-sheeter at the Handia police station in Allahabad who was addressing the gathering in support of his party candidate from Bhadohi,Chote Lal Bind,was brazen enough to hold out a threat to the waiting police team that had come from Allahabad. “The state government is targeting me. Let our party return to power and then we will answer,” Mishra’s voice rang on mike that was wired to another cellphone,which received the MLA’s call.

The number on which Mishra called belonged to a former SP district president,Om Prakash Yadav,who was at first stopped by cops as he took it near the microphone but was later allowed.

Addressing the gathering a while later,Mulayam only added to the rhetoric. “My party MLAs are being booked on trivial issues so that they cannot reach out to voters,” he said at the meeting that was held in Sarpata area on Sunday afternoon.

Later,the Bhadohi police lodged an FIR against Om Prakash and seized the cellphone.

“During the public meeting,one of our supporters brought a cellphone to me and said Mishra wanted to address the meeting. I attached the cellphone with mike and after speech was completed,I returned it to its owner,” said Om Prakash,who had organised the gathering.

According to sources,just as Mishra started his speech,Mulayam arrived at the meeting.

The cops,who were present in plain clothes to arrest Mishra,did not interrupt his speech which continued for around five minutes. Later,Mulayam addressed the meeting. “When Mulayam left after the meeting,the police caught Om Prakash and took him to the police station. He was released later,” said SP’s district president Jahid Beg.

SP Ashutosh Kumar said the police were looking for the man who provided the cellphone. He confirmed a team of Allahabad police was present with a warrant against Mishra.

On April 15,Allahabad police had registered an FIR against Mishra for lodging a false complaint of attempt to murder. On April 11,Mishra had alleged that some unidentified men had attacked him,injuring his gunner Sanjay Maurya and two others. During investigation,it was found the bullets had been fired from the carbine of the gunner.