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2 more ministers stare at sack in UP
After the dismissal of Uttar Pradesh homeopathy and religious endowments minister Rajesh Tripathi on Saturday following the lokayukta's report charging him with grabbing government land near Gorakhpur, two other ministers might also be ousted.
After the dismissal of Uttar Pradesh homeopathy and religious endowments minister Rajesh Tripathi on Saturday following the lokayukta's report charging him with grabbing government land near Gorakhpur, two other ministers might also be ousted.
Higher education minister Rakesh Dhar Tripathi and secondary education minister Rangnath Mishra are under the lokayukta scanner on corruption charges.
Mishra has been charged with owning assets disproportionate to his know sources of income. In his petition to the lokayukta, complainant Swami Nath Mishra has also charged Rangnath Mishra with diverting money from the MLA development fund.
Another petitioner, Adarsh Mishra has charged the minister with demanding bribes for appointment of teachers, recognition of schools and establishment of examination centres.
Talking to HT, lokayukta justice (retd) NK Mehrotra said the probe against Rangnath Mishra was in progress. “After several reminders, Mishra has submitted a reply on one charge only. Once the inquiry is complete, I will dispatch the report to the state government,” he said.
Higher education minister Rakesh Dhar Tripathi, too, has been charged with acquiring disproportionate assets.
The enquiry against him has been deferred on technical grounds.
The petitioner, Ram Lali, has been directed to file an affidavit in the lokayukta's office, after which the enquiry will begin.
The lokayukta has already shot off a letter to the Mayawati government to attach an investigation agency with his office to expedite the probes.
