Two more turn hostile in Raja Bhaiyya case

IN YET another major blow to the prosecution in the trial of UP minister Raja Bhaiyya, two more witnesses, UP police personnel constable J N Tripathi and station officer Jitendra Singh of Nawabganj police station, today turned hostile in the specially designated POTA court here saying they were ignorant regarding the seizure of weapons from the accused.

Raja Bhaiyya, his father Uday Pratap Singh and cousin Akshay Pratap Singh, the MP from Pratapgarh, are being tried here under Section 25 of the Arms Act and section 3/4 of POTA, following the Supreme Court’s direction of November 10 last.

Tripathi and Singh where posted at the Kunda police station when the UP police claimed to have seized an A-K 56 rifle of China bearing number 16002321 along with 36 cartridges, 3 magazines and a haul of explosive from the residence of Uday Pratap Singh (75) – father of Raja Bhaiyya at Bhadri in January 2003.

In December Bhim Pandey and one another witness turned hostile.Meanwhile Raja Bhaiyya has filed an application for modification of the MP High Court’s conditional bail granted to him under POTA charges on December 12, 2005, on two counts.

While giving him conditional bail, the MP High Court, among other directives, has directed Raja Bhaiyya to appear before the Civil Lines Police Station of Jabalpur on last Sundays of every month between 2 and 4 pm.

Besides, Raja Bhaiyya has been instructed not to enter into the district of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh except on occasion when his presence is required in respect of cases pending in the courts.

He has sought modification, or exemptions from appearing in the police station here, saying that his POTA trial has already commenced and he is regularly appearing in person before the court on the fixed date for hearing.

Also, he has prayed before the court that he be permitted to enter the Pratapgarh district for participating in the Panchayat elections campaign, which has at its peak.

His absence from Pratapgarh is adversely affecting his political career, he has stated in the application seeking relief.