Suspicious Deaths: Businessman and Wife Found Dead After ED Raid
Bhopal (The Uttam Hindu): The death of businessman Manoj Parmar and his wife Neha Parmar at their home in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday has sparked a major controversy in the state.
The fresh controversy erupted after the BJP shared a purported video, wherein MP Congress unit chief Jitu Patwari is seen talking to the son of the deceased couple. Following this, the son of the deceased couple blamed MP BJP chief and Khajuraho MP V. D. Sharma for the death of his parents. Later, BJP MLA Bhagwandas Sabnani alleged that Jitu Patwari misled the boy and convinced him to blame V. D. Sharma. He further accused Congress of playing politics on over death of a businessman and his wife.
"The minor boy was convinced by Jitu Patwari to take MP BJP chief’s name (V. D. Sharma), the video clearly shows. He had gone there to express his condolences, but tried to play politics, which is condemnable," Sabnani said during the press conference. Sabnani further said that Patwari should apologise for his act, otherwise BJP workers will stage a protest against him. He also warned of legal action against Patwari. Earlier, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh held the ED responsible for the deaths, alleging that Parmar was harassed unnecessarily.
"Manoj Parmar was being harassed by the ED without any valid reason mainly because his children had gifted a piggy bank to Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. His house was raided by ED Assistant Director Sanjeet Kumar Sahu," Digvijaya Singh said. Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh further stated that he had arranged an advocate to defend him in the court, however, he ended his life. "I had also arranged for a lawyer for Manoj. But, Manoj was so scared that today he and his wife committed suicide this morning. I demand a fair investigation in this matter from the ED director," Digvijaya Singh said in a series of social media posts.
Notably, the ED sleuths had conducted raids at several locations, including four premises of Parmar in Sehore and Indore on December 5. Several other businessmen, including some prominent jewellers and a Chartered Accountant (CA), were also raided. During the raids, ED had seized documents related to several movable and immovable assets and froze a bank balance of Rs 3.5 lakh. Parmar was also arrested in connection with an alleged Rs 6 crore fraud case involving a nationalised bank. Family members allege that the couple was under extreme stress due to the actions taken by the ED against them. "He (Manoj Parmar) was under mental stress due to the ED's raid. He ended his life because he was harassed by ED," Manoj's younger brother Kailash Parmar, who is district level Congress leader told the media persons. Police reportedly have recovered a suicide note from Parmar's residence, however, the investigating team has yet to disclose the contents of it. The investigation into the matter was underway, police said.
