JAIPUR/ALWAR: Bharatpur superintendent of police (SP) Keshar Singh Shekhawat proceeded on leave on Sunday, following a public quarrel with the Congress MLA from Deeg-Kumher, Vishwendra Singh, over security arrangements at an EVM strong room.Singh, a member of erstwhile Bharatpur royal family alleged that on Saturday night, a heavily drunk Shekhawat threatened to shoot him, when he pointed out lapses in security arrangements at the strong room where the EVMs were kept.People gathered in large numbers to listen to the Congress leader Vishwendra Singh.“The strong room is at MSJ College. We found that three gates there were unguarded and some suspicious vehicles were parked nearby. When I confronted the SP, he threatened me even while he was in an inebriated condition,” he said.The Congress workers in large numbers began to gather on Singh’s call, raising fear of a law and order situation in the city. The shops were also shut down on Sunday morning.Senior officials were sent to Bharapur to resolve the matter. Additional DGP, BL Soni and IG Malini Agarwal spoke to Singh, following which the SP said to have “applied for the leave.”Speaking to TOI, ADGP Soni said that there is a three-tier security arrangements at the strong room. The inner-most cordon is under the control of CPMF. “I have checked and found that there was no tampering with the EVM or breach into the final cordon,” he said, adding that the Congress contentions are under investigation. The security will now be under the direct supervision of the Bharatpur IG.On asked if Shekhawat was asked to leave, IG Malini Agarwal said that the SP had applied for the leave. “The strong room is heavily guarded, sealed and constantly being watched. It is in all circumstances unreachable and could not have been compromised. There was some row, but we brought it under control,” she said.The sources told TOI that the security arrangements were beefed up at the strong room to assuage Congress’ fears. “In the meeting, I had demanded that Shekhawat should be put under APO, instead he has been sent on leave. I will file a complaint against him,” Singh said.Meanwhile, Bharatpur collector Sandesh Nayak said there was no case of EVM tampering in the strong room and has sent the report to chief electoral officer (CEO) Rajasthan and the Election Commission of India “A rumour was spread that EVM tampering was happening at the strong room. Since there were complaints that the police officials were tampering the EVMs, we asked our returning officers to go and check the CCTV footages. Nothing was found in the footages. The seal was intact and there was no tampering,” Nayak said.“This morning, we showed Vishwendra Singhji how strong room works. He was convinced and now there is no complaint. Even Observers visited the spot, and the strong room is safe and secure,” he added.

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