MY TRYST WITH INDIAN LAW......3

There was lull for 15 days. Then our local SC/ST neta came to meet me again. This time it was to ask for a favour  of asking for a donation for Valmiki Day organized by him in his village. I told him he could collect a cheque after three days. But he wanted all in cash. INR 5000 was paid for that. Then he wanted me to be the chief guest. I had to decline as I did not want to be seen with him on stage.

He was also sore that PK had taken the case to Congress union and local neta who was also a minister. He was also of the opinion that they were trying to fish in troubled waters without keeping genuine interest of PK or his family’s welfare in mind. I told him the nature of any politician was that only !!

After a few weeks there was a call from local news paper agent who wanted to share a very secret information in person. I gave him an audience in my office. I was told that our Congress Union along with local people were planning to publishing a story on the PK case which would be very damaging to the company. I said they were free to do whatever they wanted and I could hardly stop them.

In return for this valuable piece of information he wanted an advertisement to be released on the birthday of the local minister facilitating for the yeoman service he was rendering to the local population. As it was a customary practice to keep the minister in good humor I had to agree to that too!!

There was a call from local DSP’s office stating that PK had lodged a complaint against three of us under SC/ST atrocities act 1989. He wanted to visit our factory and enquire about that.

He called on me in my office. The complaint was shown to us. In that it was alleged that one of the plant manager had called PK in an abusive manner taking his caste name and claimed that there was no place for such people in our organization. He had taken the name of local Congress Union office bearers as witness claiming that they were standing outside and heard the abuse.

This was far from truth and everyone was aware. The DSP saw our factory. Gone through PK’s personal file and he was convinced that the case was a fabricated one to harass the management. However he took me aside and told me that to satisfy the minister’s ego I should take PK back to avert confrontation.

I told him now much water had flown down the bridge and there was no scope for taking the case back. I also told him that the management was prepared to face the consequences.

By then I came to know through reliable sources that the case was advised to be closed by DSP and accordingly SP had signed the papers dismissing the case.

Meanwhile PK was becoming desperate and he called me repeatedly. Though, I had blocked his calls, one day as he had called using some other I picked up the call. He was desperate to get back to duty as his family was claimed to be starving. He was claiming that he had filed the case under SC/ST act as he was lured by the Congress union that he would be getting money to fight the case.

Sometime later Congress led union went on a hartal in front of Una Collectorate. Their demand was to reopen the case alleging that  the DSP was in hand in gloves with the management.

The District Collector called me and asked me what was our stand. I had told him very politely that we were firm on this and no going back. Then he asked the SP to investigate the case.