| 10 July 2023
Amid a raging controversy over the urination incident in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district, the victim, Dashmat Rawat, has made a shocking revelation, confessing that he had initially lied to authorities during the investigation. The incident, which occurred in 2020 but gained widespread attention last week when a video of the incident went viral, involved Pravesh Shukla urinating on a tribal labourer. However, Rawat now claims that he had lied to the authorities, denying that he was the person in the video.
Rawat disclosed his deception in an interview with MP Tak, admitting that at the time of the incident, he was intoxicated and unable to fully comprehend what was happening. He stated, "This incident took place in 2020. I was intoxicated and could not understand anything. I didn't even see who the person urinating on me was." Rawat further revealed that he had repeatedly lied to the Collector during the investigation, denying his involvement as the victim. However, he changed his stance when the accused, Pravesh Shukla, confessed to the crime.
Expressing remorse, Rawat called upon the state government to release Shukla, emphasizing that the accused has recognized his mistake. "My demand to the government is that a mistake has been committed. Now Pravesh Shukla should be released. Whatever has happened in the past, he has realized his mistake," Rawat asserted.
Rawat's clarification comes amidst allegations that the individual whose feet were washed by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, purportedly symbolizing an act of apology, was not the same person seen in the viral video. The state unit of the Congress criticized the ruling BJP government, accusing it of orchestrating a conspiracy. The Congress tweeted, "Shivraj did the drama of washing someone else's feet. Is the real victim missing? Shivraj ji, such a big conspiracy? Madhya Pradesh will not forgive you."
Following the emergence of the video, the state government provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to Rawat, the victim, and allocated an additional sum of Rs 1.5 lakh for the construction of his house. However, with Rawat's admission of falsehoods, the case has taken a new turn, raising questions about the subsequent actions and compensation provided.
Meanwhile, Pravesh Shukla, the accused, remains in police custody and has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the National Security Act. Last week, an alleged illegal portion of Shukla's house in Sidhi was also demolished.
As the investigation continues to unfold, the shocking revelation from Dashmat Rawat has cast doubt on the initial narrative surrounding the incident. It remains to be seen how this latest development will impact the ongoing legal proceedings and the demand for the release of the accused.
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