Industry minister regrets detention of two enttrepreneurs after CM’s programme
Patna,(BiharTimes): Industry minister Jai Kumar Singh regretted the detention of two entrepreneurs Nemi Kumar, 43, of Madhubani and Suresh Kumar Sharma, 46, of Chhaurahi in Begusarai by Gandhi Maidan police after they put up questions before the chief minister at the Start-Up programme in Patna on Tuesday.
The detention created a storm in the business circle with the BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav on Thursday condemning the police action and calling it as an undemocratic act.
Talking to the media the minister wondered as to why the police detained the duo when the chief minister immediately asked them not to interfere. The chief minister had then said that he was ready to listen to the issues raised by the entrepreneurs.
Singh conceded that it was wrong on the part of the police to detain the two entrepreneurs for six hours (2:00 PM to 8:00 PM) as they have every right to ask question. “We would take notice of the matter. We would see to it that no such incident take place. It should never have happened,” he said.
It needs to be recalled that Nemi and Suresh, who questioned chief minister Nitish Kumar at a Start-Up meet on Tuesday spent six hours in police detention after the event without being allowed to eat, drink, go to the toilet or even talk to their family members on the ground that their details needed to be noted down.
Nesmi Kumar and Suresh Kumar Sharma were delegates at the “4th Bihar Entrepreneurship Summit-Start-up Bihar” organised by Bihar Entrepreneurs Association (BEA) in Patna on Tuesday.
The two entrepreneurs had raised issues before the chief minister, who was the chief guest.
Nemi raised the issue on transparency in government funding of start-up projects and Suresh on harassment he faced from banks in taking a loan for his initiative.
The two told mediapersons that they were cornered and whisked away to Gandhi Maidan police station by police and special branch officials soon after the function got over and the chief minister had left the venue.
“W,e were treated like criminals and detained in a room inside the police station for over six hours,”
The two held the deputy superintendent of police (Town) Kailash Prasad and SHO of Gandhi Maidan police station Priyaranjan Kumar responsible for their detention.
They were released after they were asked to give in writing that they were treated well by the police personnel and they were being released in hale and hearty condition. Their mobile numbers and addresses were also noted down.
According to the DSP (Town) the duo were detained at the police station to gather details.
Special branch sub-inspector Om Prakash Srivastava said he had sent the two entrepreneurs to Gandhi Maidan police station as the chief minister had wanted to meet them. He said that he thought their details should be recorded in case any senior official asks for them later.
ADG (Headquarters) Sunil Kumar said the duo were detained at the police station to verify their criminal antecedents. Suresh is currently on bail in a case. However, no adverse report has been found or received against Nemi Kumar. Both of them were released on personal bonds.
Director-general of police P K Thakur was not aware of what happened.
