�Computer baba� arrested over illegal encroachment of land

Indore, 9-Nov-2020

Former Madhya Pradesh minister Namdeo Tyagi alias Computer Baba was arrested on Sunday morning during the demolition of the portion of his ashram �illegally built on 2 acres of government-owned land� in Hatod area of Indore. Six of his supporters have also been taken into custody for protesting against the city administration�s action to raze the alleged illegal structure. Baba and his six associates were arrested under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) after they attempted to obstruct the administration against the illegal construction, Superintendent of Police (western region) Maheshchandra Jain said, adding that they were sent to the central jail. Indore collector Manish Singh told that the ashram office-bearers were served notices to remove the encroachments, but they were not ready to do it. �We had served a show-cause notice in the name of the occupants, but they were not ready to vacate it, so we went ahead and removed the encroachment by force,� Singh said. The demolition exercise was carried out in heavy police presence. Officials have seized a 315-bore rifle, a pistol, a kirpan, an airgun, two motorcycles and two four-wheelers from the ashram.
The administration's demolition move has sparked a political storm in the state. Congress leader said Baba's ashram has been demolished with "an intention of revenge." He added, "This is the height of political vendetta. I condemn it." In 2018, Tyagi was given 'minister of state' status by the previous BJP government in MP. However, he parted ways with the then Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government, alleging that illegal sand mining was going on in the Narmada river, and joined hands with the Congress. After 2018 state Assembly elections, the Kamal Nath-led government appointed him as the head of a river trust.