Kolkata, May 20: Fearing large-scale violence, the state Government has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in and around Nandigram College where the counting for panchayat polls results will begin on Wednesday. The state Government has also asked the CRPF to maintain law and order along with the state police during the counting. However, Alok Raj, DIG, CRPF, who entered into a verbal spat with CPI(M) MP Laxman Seth, will be conspicuous by his absence in the field.

Despite the state Government giving a clean chit to the DIG on the allegation of molestation in Nandigram, the state police will go ahead with the case against the him. “I am weighing my legal options. I have heard that the enquiry report gave me a clean chit. However, the FIRs are still there in the police station. I will soon ask the state Government to give me a copy of the complaints and the enquiry report. My force will be in duty in Nandigram, but I have received no orders to go there on May 21,” said Alok Raj over phone from Ranchi.

Two days back, state Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborti announced at Writers’ Building that the charge of molestation against Alok Raj was found to be baseless.

“All I said was that according to the enquiry report by IG, Western Range, the allegations of molestation against the DIG were found to be baseless. But this is a democratic country and if someone lodges a complaint, the police will have to do their duty. After all, there is a case of physical assault against the DIG. I never said that he got a clean chit in that case,” said Ashok Mohan Chakraborti. “How can the state Government retract complaints; the law will take its own course,” he added.

“The CRPF will maintain law and order in Nandigram along with the state police on Wednesday. We are making tight security arrangements at sensitive spots, keeping in mind the violence in the last phase of the polls,” said Chakraborti.

The state police said they will go ahead with the two complaints lodged against the DIG in Nandigram, one being molestation and the other physical assault on women.

“The women have lodged an FIR of molestation and physical assault. Our investigation is on in both the cases. We have taken the statements from the victims. The matter will go to the court and trial will take place,” said S S Panda, SP, East Midnapur.

Significantly, four companies of the CRPF will man various areas in Nandigram along with the state police on Wednesday. Raj Kanojia, IG law and order, said: “Nandigram is a sensitive area and hence, the local administration has decided to impose Section 144 in and around the counting centre.”