Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat

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Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat is the husband of Pratibha Patil, the president of India. He is a member of the political party Indian National Congress, a former mayor of Amaravati and a former member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. His ancestors migrated to Maharashtra from Chota Losal village in Sikar district in Rajasthan about a century ago.

An educator, Devisingh married Pratibha Patil on July 7, 1965. They have a son and a daughter. Since Pratibha Patil was elected president, Devisingh is the first First Gentleman of India.

Contents

[edit] Controversies

[edit] Alleged abetment of suicide

Kisan Dhage, a teacher in a school run by Vidya Prasarak Mandal in Buldana district, allegedly committed suicide on November 15, 1998. In his suicide note, he wrote that he was committing suicide because he was tired of the mental harassment caused by Shekhawat, chairman of the institution, and four others.[1]

When the police registered the case as "accidental death", Mangala, wife of the deceased appealed to the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Jalgaon Jamod, a tehsil in Buldana district.[1] The JMFC later directed the police to start criminal proceedings in the case.[2] Shekawat has petitioned the courts seeking dismissal of criminal proceedings on charges of abetting the school teacher's suicide. [1] Two lower courts had turned down Devisingh’s plea to quash the proceedings against him and the issue is now pending in the High court.[3]

[edit] Amravati People's Co-operative Bank

NDTV reported[4] that the shareholders of the Amravati People's Co-operative Bank claimed that he stood guarantor for a loan taken by Sriram Rolling Mills who defaulted on it. The address of the rolling mill was listed as Shekawat's Amravati residence. Despite the fact that the loan receiver later turned defaulter, Devi Singh was appointed as the administrator of the same bank. Tushar Bhartiya, a share holder of the Bank was reported to have said:

“ And now he has exercised one time settlement at a much lesser amount. If it is a doubtful deal, I shall approach the Supreme Court [4] ”

[edit] See also


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c DNA - June 29, 2007
  2. ^ The Hindu - June 29, 2007
  3. ^ The Times of India - June 28, 2007
  4. ^ a b NDTV - June 25, 2007


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