Raghuraj Pratap Singh back in UP cabinet, takes oath

Controversial independent Member of Legislative Assembly Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who had to resign from the Uttar Pradesh cabinet in March after killing of Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haq in Pratapgarh, was on Friday re-inducted as a minister.

Raja Bhaiya was sworn in by Governor B L Joshi at Raj Bhawan in the presence of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior cabinet minister Mohd Azam Khan.

The former food and civil supplies minister had to resign from the cabinet after being named by DSP Haq's wife Parvind Azad in the murder case earlier this year.

Though the Central Bureau of Investigation gave a clean chit to Raja Bhaiya, Azad had filed a protest application against it. He would be allocated a ministry later.