Priyanka Gandhi vacates Lodhi Estate bungalow

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra vacated her official Lodhi Estate bungalow on Thursday.

An official statement issued by the Congress said Priyanka Gandhi handed over the possession of her 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow, 'previously allotted to her on security grounds', to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on Thursday.

Sources close to her said she will be staying for a few days in her Gurgaon penthouse before shifting to central Delhi, where she has finalised a house on rent.

Renovations are currently going on in her new house in Delhi, they said.

'She will be residing in a temporary accommodation until a more permanent accommodation in Delhi rented by her is ready for use,' an official communication from the Congress party said.

Earlier in the day, a team of central PWD officials visited her house and took the keys of the Lodhi Estate bungalow.

The party said CPWD junior engineer P Senthil Kumar in the presence of CE Vikas Rana, Yogesh Kumar Kardam (AE-PAWD-I, CPWD) Manoj Kumar Chauhan (AE CPWD Services), B S Rana (JE PAWD-I, CPWD) accepted the keys on behalf of the CPWD after a full inspection of the house and after finding that it was handed over in good condition.

'They have issued her a 'vacation report' for the premises on behalf of the CPWD,' the party said.

'Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has also passed on to the CPWD and the Directorate of Estates, a full inventory of privately installed fittings, fixtures etc,' it said.

The Congress claimed that she has paid all electricity, water and previous dues and is awaiting the final assessment for the licence fee of the month of July from the Directorate of Estates due to her on July 31, to close all accounts with reference to the allotment and subsequent cancellation of the lease of the government bungalow.

The ministry of urban development issued a notice to Priyanka Gandhi on July 1, asking her to vacate the Lodhi Estate bungalow before August 1, as she was no longer eligible for it after her security cover was downgraded last year.

The said house has since been allotted to BJP's media department in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni.

Priyanka writes to Adityanath over detention of Dr Kafeel Khan

Meanwhile, the Congress general secretary on Thursday wrote to Yogi Adityanath over the detention of Dr Kafeel Khan, booked under the National Security Act over alleged hate speech, and said she expects the Uttar Pradesh chief minister to do his best to secure justice for him.

In her letter to the chief minister, she said Khan had served people selflessly in difficult situations.

Priyanka Gandhi raised the matter, saying the doctor 'has spent more than 450 days in jail so far'.

'I expect that while showing your sensitivity, you will try your best to secure justice for Dr. Kafeel,' she said in the letter.

Khan is in detention for allegedly making an inflammatory speech on the Aligarh Muslim University campus during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests.

Khan was arrested at Mumbai airport on January 29 in connection with the case registered at Aligarh's Civil Lines police station under section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code.

The section relates to promoting enmity between groups over religion and other differences.

On February 10, Khan was granted bail by the Allahabad high court but not immediately released by Mathura Jail authorities.

His family then moved court in Aligarh, claiming contempt of the HC order.

The court issued a fresh release order on February 13. But before it could be executed, the authorities invoked the National Security Act against him.

The paediatrician had earlier faced arrest following the deaths of over 60 children in a week at a government hospital in UP's Gorakhpur in 2017.

About two years later, a state government probe cleared Khan of all major charges.