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Personal secretaries of three UP ministers arrested for seeking bribes

Yogi

Lucknow | A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested the personal secretaries of state ministers Archana Tripathi, Sandeep Singh and Om Prakash Rajbhar on charges of corruption and bribery.

“On getting sufficient evidence against the secretariat staff members, they have been arrested and sent to jail. The chief minister has a zero-tolerance towards corruption,” the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement late on Saturday night.

On December 28, the three were suspended on graft charges following a sting operation by a news channel. They were suspended on orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also directed officials to register a police case against them, a state government release said.

In accordance with Adityanath’s direction, the matter will be probed by SIT and it will submit its report within 10 days after taking statements of all parties in the case, it said. The SIT will be led by Additional Director General of Police, Lucknow Zone, Rajiv Krishna.

A sting operation was conducted by a TV channel purportedly showing three personal secretaries of ministers allegedly seeking bribes in return for favours such as transfers and issuing contracts. In the sting operation, Om Prakash Kashyap, personal secretary of Backward Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar is purportedly seen asking for Rs 40 lakh for a transfer. Rajbhar, who is a minister from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), said he had removed his personal secretary and written to the chief minister to take stern action against him.

In the same sting operation, personal secretary of Minister of State for Mining Archana Pandey was shown allegedly striking a deal with the channel’s reporter for getting him mining contracts in about six districts. Santosh Awasthi, personal secretary to MoS Basic Education Sandeep Singh, is also seen in the sting operation allegedly working out a deal for a contract for books and seeking his own cut. Singh is the grandson of former UP chief minister and present Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh.

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National Politics

Congress Leaders Losing Restraint On Their Language Anticipating Defeat In Assembly Polls: Himachal CM

ANI
Himachal Pradesh

In a veiled attack on the Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly Mukesh Agnihotri, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said that Congress leaders are losing restraint on their language anticipating their defeat in the coming elections.

Mandi:  In a veiled attack on the Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly Mukesh Agnihotri, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said that Congress leaders are losing restraint on their language anticipating their defeat in the coming elections.

Without naming him, Chief Minister targeted Agnihotri while addressing a public meeting in the Nachan assembly constituency and said, “A leader of the area adjoining the Punjab border does not have restraint on his language.

I don’t know from where he read and learned those words. Anticipating their defeat in the coming elections, they are threatening to peel off the skin. The people of Devbhoomi will answer the kind of language the leaders of the Opposition are using. They should understand that there are elections and if you have done anything good for the people of Himachal, then mention it.” “I never get angry. I am a straight person.

Although the opponents are forcing me to lose my calm. I do not speak personally against anyone. But it can be heard only to a certain extent. The day they need to be answered, they will be given a befitting reply,” the Chief Minister said.

Jai Ram said these were the same leaders who, when asked to name any important project or plan during their tenure, could not count a single one.

“When they did not start any scheme during their tenure, what would they say to the public instead of misleading it by false guarantee? Our government started public welfare schemes like Himcare, Sahara, Grihini Suvidha, Jan Manch and 1100 helpline,” he added.

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He said that the previous Congress governments left no stone unturned to loot Himachal, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government developed every area.

“Congress friends are saying that the BJP government has made people seekers of freebies culture. We have given relief to the people of the state. Electricity consumers were given free electricity up to 125 units. We have visited the entire Himachal and the enthusiasm of the people is telling that the custom is changing,” he added.

Himachal Pradesh will go to the polls on November 12, while the counting of the votes will be done on December 8.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by HW News staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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