Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator Jagannath Mahato has been accused of holding a Kangaroo court to punish a man by tying him to a tree in Bhandaridah, near Bokaro.
Jitendra Choudhary, a driver by profession, was left hanging by a tree near his SRU colony residence for more than an hour on Saturday.
Tired of Choudhary's alcoholic addiction, his wife, Sunita Devi and his mother approached the JMM leader to seek justice. On Devi's complaint Mahato tied Choudhary's hands and left him hanging from the tree till he apologised and promised not to beat his wife or touch liquor ever again.
Choudhury had on previous occasions tortured his wife and sold their family's jewellery, alleged his wife.
Mahato, who is locally known as 'Tiger', told The Times of India, "I have punished Choudhary to improve him. He used to beat his wife going home in a drunken state. He has sold his wife's jewellery and is in debt. As a guardian, I have to provide instant remedy to (Sunita) Devi and this is the best option. My motive was not to hurt him but to change him."
Bokaro SP Kuldeep Dwivedi said an FIR will be filed if Choudhary requests for it.
This is not the first time Mahato has been involved in meting out punishment. Mahato, who regularly holds such 'durbars', has been previously warned by JMM party members when he thrashed two men for sexually assaulting a woman in 2011.
