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Journalism of Courage
Close on the heels of the BJP annulling the candidature of Sabir Ali within 24 hours of his induction, the party finds itself facing a controversy around its Balmikinagar candidate, Satish Chandra Dubey, with the circulation of a 2008 report from the border force SSB suggesting he had links with ganja and charas smugglers.
Dubey, who denies he was ever probed, believes the report is being circulated by Dilip Verma, an independent MLA who had wanted the BJP’s Balmikinagar ticket. Verma, the Sikta MLA, had fancied his chances as he was the only independent member who had supported the BJP in the assembly when the NDA split. Former petroleum secretary R S Pandey was the frontrunner for the Balmikinagar ticket but BJP veteran Chandramohan Roy and Dilip Verma came in the way. While former minister Roy announced his retirement from electoral politics, Verma was reportedly looking at it as his last chance to contest a Lok Sabha election.
“It is Dilip Verma who has been circulating papers against me,” Dubey told The Indian Express. “I have not hidden any information about cases pending against me. The SSB has never questioned me on smuggling or any other charges.”
Dubey, who represents Narkatiaganj, is a three-time MLA who joined the BJP in 2005. A hardcore Hindu leader, he was earlier a Shiv Sena worker active in communally sensitive Balmikinagar.
Local police said there was no case against Dubey on the basis of the 2008 SSB report. BJP legislature party leader Sushil Kumar Modi said the SSB report “had no meaning as no follow-up action or case has been lodged against Dubey in the last six years”. Modi said it was an unnecessary controversy and did not warrant the attention of the party.
“Had there been any FIR against Dubey, it would have made some sense. He has been elected an MLA for the third time and duly furnished his affidavit before the Election Commission.”
