Murder accused Himachal legislator takes oath

Shimla, Jan 24 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Congress legislator Ram Kumar Chaudhary, who is facing murder charges in Haryana, Thursday took the oath of office and secrecy in the state assembly here.

Chaudhary, who sworn in the chamber of assembly Speaker Brij Bihari Lal Butail, has been booked for murder by Haryana Police.

He was brought here, where a large number of his supporters were assembled, in the morning from Ambala jail under a heavy security cover.

He is one of the four suspects in the murder of a 24-year-old woman in Panchkula in Haryana Nov 22.

“It’s a political conspiracy by my political rivals. I am innocent,” he told reporters soon after taking the oath.

On being asked that he confessed his crime before the police, he said: “It’s a police theory. I have full faith in judiciary. I have never confessed that I have committed the crime.”

Ruling out the possible of resigning as a legislator in the wake of the J.S. Verma Committee report that the legislators involved in woman-related crime should morally resign, he said he would come out clean.

“I will continue to work as a legislator. Even people are contesting elections from the bars. I have just submitted a list of his priorities as a legislator to the speaker,” he said.

After evading arrest, Chaudhary had surrendered before a Panchkula court Jan 8, the day other legislators took oath.

Chaudhary is a first-time legislator from Doon in Solan district. He is the son of four-time Congress legislator Lajja Ram.

IANS 2013-01-24 13:08:02