Chhattisgarh minister booked for threatening to kill rival

Raipur, Nov 7 (IANS) A case has been registered against Chhattisgarh's Industry Minister Rajesh Munat for threatening to kill a rival candidate in the forthcoming assembly poll, a police official said Friday.

'A case has been registered late Thursday against Munat under section 506 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) for threatening to kill Balram Sharma, independent nominee contesting against him,' Lal Umendra Singh, superintendent of police (city), told IANS.

Munat is the candidate of the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Raipur City West.

The case was registered after Sharma filed a written complaint with the police that Munat had stormed into his residence, located on the outskirts of state capital Raipur, Wednesday night and asked him to immediately withdraw his candidature.

The minister also allegedly threatened to kill him if he failed to do so.

'We are investigating the case and an armed policeman has been deployed to escort Sharma in wake of the security threat to his life,' said Singh.

Voters in Raipur City West will exercise their franchise Nov 20 in the second phase of polling to the 90-member assembly. The first phase is on Nov 14.

Munat main rivals are Santosh Agrawal of the Congress and Virendra Pandey, a senior rebel BJP leader.