Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad denies wrongdoing amidst arms license controversy

Ranchi: Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad has addressed the recent controversy surrounding her arms license, asserting his innocence and claiming that she is being targeted by a Hazaribagh officer with affiliations to the AJSU party. In a press conference held at her residence in Dhurwa on Thursday, Prasad refuted allegations that the license application was part of any wrongdoing.

According to Prasad, the Hazaribagh officer, allegedly associated with the AJSU party, orchestrated the application process in her name. Prasad contends that the decision to remove her house guard and reduce the security detail is a result of this orchestrated effort. She clarified that she had applied for the arms license months ago on the grounds of potential threats and self-defense but emphasized that the application is yet to be approved.

In her defense, Prasad highlighted that many residents of Jharkhand possess arms licenses, and she questioned whether the recent scrutiny is merely an attempt to tarnish his reputation and that of her family. The MLA emphasized that her brother has received threats from criminal gangs, prompting the need for a license for security reasons.

Prasad further justified her application by citing the exposed conspiracy by a Naxalite organization to assassinate her father, former minister Yogendra Sao. She pointed out the recent public murder of his MLA representative, underscoring the challenging security environment she operates in. In light of these circumstances, Prasad defended her decision to apply for an arms license, asserting that it was a legitimate and necessary measure for self-protection.