Just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, former MP Dhananjay Singh faced a significant setback as he was convicted in a kidnapping case by the Jaunpur court. The sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, and Dhananjay has been remanded to jail.
Notably, he had been gearing up to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Jaunpur, making his intentions public on the same day when the BJP released its first list of candidates.
According to media reports, Dhananjay Singh, eyeing a ticket from both Nitish Kumar's JDU and the BJP, found himself at odds when the BJP fielded Kripashankar Singh. Dhananjay expressed confidence on social media, stating, "We will win Jaunpur, Lok Sabha elections 2024." However, the recent imprisonment has dealt a severe blow to his political aspirations.
The kidnapping case dates back to May 10, 2020, with Namami Gange's project manager, Abhinav Singhal, filing charges against Dhananjay Singh and his accomplice Santosh Vikram. The allegations include kidnapping and extortion, where Singhal claimed to have been forcibly taken to Dhananjay, who allegedly brandished a pistol and coerced Singhal to use substandard materials in a road project. Extortion demands were made, accompanied by threats and intimidation.
Dhananjay Singh was promptly arrested following the filing of the FIR by the project manager and spent several days behind bars. The case took an unexpected turn when Singhal, in a court affidavit, withdrew his accusations, citing stress during the initial complaint.