Engineer Sanju Gunjan Thakur has alleged that Jaleshwar Mayor Suresh Sah Sonar physically assaulted him inside the office of Chief Administrative Officer Jay Kumar Sah. The conflict allegedly stemmed from pressure to overvalue CCTV cameras and floodlights installed in the municipality.
What Happened?
According to Thakur, the CCTV cameras were installed at a cost valuation of only Rs. 10 lakh, but he was pressured by Mayor Sonar to approve a valuation of Rs. 18 lakh. Upon his refusal, Sonar allegedly assaulted him at around 4 PM on Monday, using abusive language and pushing him during the altercation.
Thakur has filed a formal complaint at the District Administration Office, citing repeated threats from the mayor to inflate the pricing of municipal electronics.
Engineering Dispute or Abuse of Power?
Thakur also revealed that some initial CCTV cameras installed in the city area were of poor quality and had to be replaced by the supplier. He added that discrepancies in the district-level floodlight pricing were being used to push for illegal revaluation, which he resisted.
Mayor’s Response
Mayor Sonar denied the physical assault, claiming it was merely a verbal disagreement regarding delayed work and payment issues, and the matter was blown out of proportion in the media.
Chief Administrative Officer Jay Kumar Sah confirmed the incident, stating the dispute happened in his office and efforts are being made to resolve the issue internally.
