Indicted by Lokayukta, tainted UP minister quits

Virtually driven against the wall following indictment by Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta Justice N K Mehrotra, state animal husbandry and dairy development minister Avadhpal Singh Yadav on Wednesday put in his papers, an official spokesman said in Lucknow.

In his 36-page report submitted to Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday, the Lokayukta had found the minister guilty of large scale corruption, nepotism and blatant misuse of authority.

Significantly, this was the first time in the history of UP that such a drastic move was initiated by any Lokayukta.

It is learnt that Yadav's resignation came only after CM Mayawati told him to step down.

"Once the Lokayuktya had explicitly recommended the minister's removal from the cabinet on grave charges of corruption, sure enough there was no question of anybody defending him even for a minute; so he had to go," said an aide of the CM.

On being contacted, the minister told mediapersons, "Well, I decided to resign because the Lokayukta has raised certain doubts and leveled certain serious allegations against me."

He went on to add, "I made up my mind not to remain a part of the council of ministers until I am exonerated of those charges."

The minister was held guilty of grabbing government land through fraudulent interpolations in the land records, misuse of authority and for giving undue financial favours to his close relatives.

The Lokayukta had also gathered much documentary evidence to prove that bulk of the contracts for construction of veterinary hospitals were awarded only to companies run by the minister's own family members, who carried out an 'utterly sub-standard job.'

The Lokayukta also did not rule out the minister's involvement in large scale production of illicit liquor in Etah district. And to probe that, he had urged the state government to form a special task force with a specific agenda to look into the whole affair.

The illicit liquor operation in Etah was understood to be causing an annual loss of Rs 200 crore to the state excise department.