It's a phoney business but the fear and loathing is quite real in Lutyens' Delhi. Members of Parliament have been inundated by threatening and abusive calls from people describing themselves variously as Maoists, gangsters, voters and loan recovery agents that many have had to go to the police.
No less than 18 MPs have made written complaints to the police in connection with incessant calls of abusive and foul content.
Police officials of New Delhi district say the complaints from parliamentarians want the callers traced and brought to book. Meanwhile, the calls continue, and senior police officials have no clue on how to stop these unwanted calls on the MPs' official residence phone lines.
In April this year, Lok Sabha MP Laxman Tudu - who represents Mayurbhanj constituency in Orissa - received an extortion call from an alleged Maoist demanding Rs.10 lakh. The police later found that an engineering student, Premanshu Kumar Mahapatra, was terrorising the minister by posing as a Maoist and had made several extortion calls to the ruling Biju Janata Dal leader.
In May, BSP MP Seema Upadhyay complained of receiving threat calls from alleged Maoists asking her to stay off the Parliament premises. "During an inquiry, we found that some voters had called her and threatened not to vote for her in the approaching Lok Sabha elections," a senior police officer said.
Most of the 18 complaints made in the last six months reported "abusive" calls from anonymous people. While most of the numbers were traced to some PCOs, two of the callers were identified as they had called from their mobile phones, the police officer said. "They told us that they are angry as the MP from their constituency had failed to deliver the promises they had made," he said. "People seem to be very disillusioned with their MPs and this is how they express their frustration. What can the police do in such cases except ask the people not to indulge in these practices," another senior police officer said.
A few ministers have also complained of being harassed by bank officials and agents. In June, a parliamentarian lodged a complaint saying he had not taken any bank loan and was yet getting threat calls from loan recovery agents.
The police later found that the bank officials had confused the MP with a former MP who had failed to repay a loan.
Another MP from the Samajwadi Party registered a police complaint last month that he was being harassed by some anonymous callers. An inquiry into the case found out that loan recovery agents were calling the MP because he had gone out of Delhi and failed to pay loan EMIs for two months without prior information to the bank.
Another senior cop expressed helplessness.
"People seem to be very disillusioned with their MPs and this is how they express their frustrations. Also the fact being election is around the corner. What police can do in these matters except asking people not to indulge in such practice."
If unwanted calls are a big worry for Parliamentarians then thieves are also on the prowl targeting the Lutyen’s bunglows.
Last year in September a gang of thieves had decamped with an air-conditioner from the house of Congress MP Jhansi Lakshmi Botcha from Andhra Pradesh. A case of theft has been registered.
Botcha represents Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
The MP had lodged a complaint saying the outdoor unit of a split air-conditioner was stolen and requested police to provide 24X7 security at his bungalow.
In November last year thieves broke in at MP Santosh Pargodia's bunglow and fled with expensive metallic water taps in the bathrooms. Three beat constables were suspended for negligence.
With several theft cases reported in the high profile zone, Delhi Police has written to New Delhi Municipal Council to light up the dark patches of lanes of the high profile area.
“During inspection we found that rear and front service lanes of MP bungalows were in complete darkness, giving enough cover for burglars to break in. We have asked the NDMC to provide more lights,” the police official said.
According to him the NDMC has decided planned to put octagonal lights on the lanes of South and North Avenues.
"The project cost is estimated to be nearly Rs 1.30 crore and it will be completed by the end of this year."
ENDS
No less than 18 MPs have made written complaints to the police in connection with incessant calls of abusive and foul content.
Police officials of New Delhi district say the complaints from parliamentarians want the callers traced and brought to book. Meanwhile, the calls continue, and senior police officials have no clue on how to stop these unwanted calls on the MPs' official residence phone lines.
In April this year, Lok Sabha MP Laxman Tudu - who represents Mayurbhanj constituency in Orissa - received an extortion call from an alleged Maoist demanding Rs.10 lakh. The police later found that an engineering student, Premanshu Kumar Mahapatra, was terrorising the minister by posing as a Maoist and had made several extortion calls to the ruling Biju Janata Dal leader.
In May, BSP MP Seema Upadhyay complained of receiving threat calls from alleged Maoists asking her to stay off the Parliament premises. "During an inquiry, we found that some voters had called her and threatened not to vote for her in the approaching Lok Sabha elections," a senior police officer said.
Most of the 18 complaints made in the last six months reported "abusive" calls from anonymous people. While most of the numbers were traced to some PCOs, two of the callers were identified as they had called from their mobile phones, the police officer said. "They told us that they are angry as the MP from their constituency had failed to deliver the promises they had made," he said. "People seem to be very disillusioned with their MPs and this is how they express their frustration. What can the police do in such cases except ask the people not to indulge in these practices," another senior police officer said.
A few ministers have also complained of being harassed by bank officials and agents. In June, a parliamentarian lodged a complaint saying he had not taken any bank loan and was yet getting threat calls from loan recovery agents.
The police later found that the bank officials had confused the MP with a former MP who had failed to repay a loan.
Another MP from the Samajwadi Party registered a police complaint last month that he was being harassed by some anonymous callers. An inquiry into the case found out that loan recovery agents were calling the MP because he had gone out of Delhi and failed to pay loan EMIs for two months without prior information to the bank.
Another senior cop expressed helplessness.
"People seem to be very disillusioned with their MPs and this is how they express their frustrations. Also the fact being election is around the corner. What police can do in these matters except asking people not to indulge in such practice."
If unwanted calls are a big worry for Parliamentarians then thieves are also on the prowl targeting the Lutyen’s bunglows.
Last year in September a gang of thieves had decamped with an air-conditioner from the house of Congress MP Jhansi Lakshmi Botcha from Andhra Pradesh. A case of theft has been registered.
Botcha represents Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
The MP had lodged a complaint saying the outdoor unit of a split air-conditioner was stolen and requested police to provide 24X7 security at his bungalow.
In November last year thieves broke in at MP Santosh Pargodia's bunglow and fled with expensive metallic water taps in the bathrooms. Three beat constables were suspended for negligence.
With several theft cases reported in the high profile zone, Delhi Police has written to New Delhi Municipal Council to light up the dark patches of lanes of the high profile area.
“During inspection we found that rear and front service lanes of MP bungalows were in complete darkness, giving enough cover for burglars to break in. We have asked the NDMC to provide more lights,” the police official said.
According to him the NDMC has decided planned to put octagonal lights on the lanes of South and North Avenues.
"The project cost is estimated to be nearly Rs 1.30 crore and it will be completed by the end of this year."
ENDS
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