Author: Express News Service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: October 7, 2008
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sharma-family-snubs-singh-against-our-selfr.../370218/
Two days after Samajwadi Party leader Amar
Singh sought judicial probe into the encounter at Jamia Nagar that left Inspector
M C Sharma dead, his family on Monday refused to accept a cheque of Rs 10
lakh offered to the family by Singh.
"It is against my self-respect to even
react to such comments," Sharma's wife Maya said. "We are not asking
them to come and sympathise with us but they should at least respect my husband's
sacrifice."
While visiting Jamia Nagar on Saturday, the
SP leader had raised doubts about police's version of the encounter that left
two alleged militants and Inspector Sharma dead. Sharma was leading the encounter
on September 19.
On Monday, his father Narottam Sharma said
he was saddened and enraged at the comments. He also said Singh's cheque had
errors in it: "The amount, in numerals, was Rs 1 lakh but was Rs 10 lakh
when spelt out in words. They probably thought we would fill in the remaining
zero and then they could portray us as corrupt and hungry for money."
Calling Sharma a "martyr", the slain
inspector's uncle R D Masiwal said: The entire country is praising our son
right now (but) these politicians can't let people live in peace. The intelligent
people of this country should throw him out."
Sharma's mother said: "My son left his
child ill at the hospital on Government directive and dealt with a Terror
threat. Now these people are raising questions about the encounter. I have
nothing to say about these people because they don't know how to control their
rhetoric."
Responding to Amar Singh's charge that the
officer should not have led the encounter since he had already been transferred,
Narottam Sharma said, "My son was not transferred from the Special Cell.
He has no proof but is still saying such things in public."
Maya Sharma said the announcement of Rs 30
lakh given to the family by Delhi Police has been over-hyped. "That money
was the accumulation of his GPF, other benefits and ex-gratia amount given
to every officer who dies in action. It was no special compensation."
She said she is now considering the job offer by Delhi Police. "I am
still not in a state to decide whether to take it. We barely have the time
to mourn our loss."
Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said
Sharma was not transferred from the Special Cell, the elite anti-terror wing.
