BJP MLA Pritam Lodhi controversy: A political storm erupted in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri on Monday after an MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Pritam Lodhi pulled up the police over their handling of a road accident case involving his son, Dinesh. The controversy had escalated Pritam’s video went viral on Monday.
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Dinesh Lodhi (Left) and his father, BJP MLA Pritam Lodhi (Right)[/caption]
In the video, the MLA from Pichhore was seen sharply reacting to the remarks allegedly made by the Sub-divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), Ayush Jakhar. He raised questions on the senior cop’s authority and use of alleged provocative language. He asked, “Does Karera belong to your dad?” Further in the video, he was seen daring the officer to deter his son from returning to the area.
Lodhi’s son injured 5 persons with Thar
The incident has stemmed from an accident which took place on April 16, 2026, when Dinesh allegedly rammed a Mahindra Thar SUV into five persons. When the cops resorted to action, SDOP Jakhar reportedly warned Dinesh not to be spotted in Karera again. However, the officer denied the claim later, maintaining that he did not make any unlawful remarks.
Responding to the alleged warning, MLA Lodhi asserted that his son would not only return to the area, but could also contest elections from the region. He also threw a challenge to the officer, saying that if his ‘daddy has the guts,’ he should try to stop him.
MLA accuses cops of biased probe
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A screengrab of the video released by MLA Pritam Lodhi[/caption]
MLA Lodhi also cautioned the police against what he termed a ‘biased’ probe. He warned officials to avoid false allegations or undue pressure, underlining that any unfair probe would invite a ‘befitting reply.’ He also urged the police officers to remain within legal boundaries, and said he was well aware of the law, as well as the expected due procedure to be followed. At the same time, he also downplayed the ‘Thar crash incident’ involving his son, claiming it was being exaggerated the way ‘Congress does.’
Lodhi says family cooperated with cops
After the video surfaced, the MLA said his family had completely cooperated with the police. He informed, “ We requested the Superintendent of Police (SP) to register a case, and it was met with. When asked to send the vehicle and my son, we complied with that too. However, the SDOP’s remarks are unacceptable.”
BJP MLA Pritam Lodhi controversy: What was the incident?
The accident unfolded on Thursday. As per police, the SUV driven by Dinesh Lodhi first struck a bike from behind, leaving three men, Sanjay Parihar, Ashish Parihar and Anshul Parihar injured. The trio was heading to Dhanra village.
Moments after this, the SUV hit two pedestrians, identified as Sita Verma and Pooja Soni, who were walking along the same stretch. Sanjay sustained grievous injuries in the incident, and was rushed to the hospital along with the other injured persons. After recording statements of the victims, police confirmed the SUV bore an ‘MLA’ sticker and was being driven by Dinesh. Dinesh was booked by the police under Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rash and negligent driving, with a probe underway into the incident.
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