Ranchi: Health Minister Banna Gupta on Wednesday claimed that he is being trapped under a well-hatched conspiracy in a bid to tarnish his image through a ‘fake and morphed’ video clip.
The Minister was speaking to media at his Ranchi residence, three-day after a purported video of him in an “obscene” phone conversation with a woman went viral. BJP MP from Jharkhand Godda Nishikant Dubey on April 23 night had shared a video clip on social media purportedly showing Gupta engaging in an “obscene” phone conversation with a woman.
The veracity of the video, however, could not be confirmed. In a veiled attack on Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy, the Minister blamed him that the conspiracy was done by him. “He (Roy) has problem with all my development projects for the state since the beginning whether it is related to cleaning of Swarnarekha river, Jamshedpur bus stand or flyovers.
When he failed to stop me, he has adopted an unethical way to tarnish my image. But, I am not going to be scared.” He said. Gupta said that he lodged an FIR in the ‘fake’ viral video case and ready for any probe. “I have asked the police administration to take the mobile phone of mine and the woman for any verification and clarify the allegation as soon as possible,” he said.
The Health Minister also blamed the woman’s details was made public by him without considering about the social impact on her. Saryu Rai said that allegations made by the Minister should be given in written. “Whatever allegations he (Gupta) is making, he should give them in written. I would reply on all these.
A probe is underway on the video, let it be completed,” he said. Rai in a tweet on April 24 had said: “The Jamshedpur police should take suo motu cognizance of Jharkhand Health Minister’s obscene video chat case, and register an FIR.