Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday rallied behind Deputy Inspector General of CRPF Alok Raj after the para-military force submitted its report to the Ministry giving clean chit to its official.The CRPF submitted its report after completing an in-house inquiry about the alleged molestation against Raj by two women, which has also been subsequently taken back.“The CRPF will continue to remain in Nandigram as the State Government wanted the para-military force to be there,” Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters in New Delhi.Asked whether Raj was being removed from his place of posting, the Home Secretary said that the officer would also continue there.A report has been sought from the West Bengal Government on the open confrontation during the panchayat polls between a CPI-M MP and a senior officer of the force.During the panchayt polls on Sunday, Raj had an animated spat on telephone with CPI-M MP Lakshman Seth over the jurisdiction of the paramilitary forces in trouble-torn Nandigram. Raj also faced charges of molestation which was, however, denied by him.While the CRPF is understood to have alleged that there was “deliberate victimisation” of its personnel posted at Nandigram, the report from the State Government was still awaited.A large contingent of Central para-military forces including CRPF and BSF had been deployed in the areas during the polling.
