There has been a new twist in the slapping scandal involving a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) at a fuel station in Rajasthan. It has been revealed that the woman who had lodged the FIR claiming herself to be the officer’s wife, is not legally his wife. The case has drawn political attention and also exposed the controversial past of SDM Chhotu Lal Sharma, who has a history of suspensions, legal cases and domestic feuds.
This incident happened on Tuesday, when Rajasthan Administrative Service officer SDM had stopped at a fuel station near Jaswantpura in Bhilwara to fill CNG in his car.
In a video, which has gone viral, he is seen having a heated argument with a staff member over not filling his vehicle with fuel earlier.
‘I am SDM…’
SDM Chhotu Lal Sharma expresses his anger at the fuel station staff and says, “I am the SDM, I am the SDM here… first of all you don’t know that the car is stuck.” After this he was seen having a scuffle with the worker.
Meanwhile, another employee of the petrol pump intervenes and the SDM slaps him. However, the employee does not back down and slaps him back. The entire incident can be seen in the viral video. Soon after the visuals of the incident went viral, social media users criticized the SDM’s misbehavior and demanded his firing.
SDM’s ‘wife’ lodged complaint…
After the incident, a police complaint was lodged by a woman named Deepika Vyas, who identified herself as the SDM’s wife. She alleged that the petrol pump staff stared at her inappropriately, winked at her and made lewd comments, which enraged her husband SDM Chhotu Lal Sharma. After this, the officer quarreled with the staff.
Vyas said in his complaint, “The man who was filling petrol winked at me, which made my husband angry. Then my husband came out and two people started attacking him. The owner of the petrol pump also came to the spot and started abusing us.”
After this the police reached the spot and arrested three petrol pump employees in this case. Now a new update has come in the matter that Vyas is not the legally married wife of the SDM. Sources said that Adhikari is married to Poonam Sharma, who is living separately with her children after allegedly being thrown out of the house. Poonam has also filed a complaint against the SDM. They are struggling to make their living.
Also read: Rajasthan: SDM Chhotu Lal Sharma suspended, came into limelight after fight at CNG pump
A past full of controversies…
This bureaucrat has had a lot of ups and downs in his career so far, he has been removed from his post thrice. He has worked as SDM twice in Mandal subdivision of Bhilwara district.
In 2017, he was removed from his post after a public spat with the then Panchayat Samiti Development Officer during a government outreach campaign. Later that year, following orders from the State Personnel Department, disciplinary action was again taken against Jindal Shah Limited for irregularities in its mining activities.
In 2018, while working as SDM in Tonk, Sharma was accused of attacking his peon at his home. The allegation was that the peon had run away with the bribe money meant to be delivered to the SDM’s house. There were protests in Tonk after this incident, after which Sharma was removed from his post.
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