An FIR has been registered against Bahujan Samaj Party MLC Arvind Tripathi, who allegedly threatened RTI activist Shamim Ahmad when the latter tried to expose illegal construction of the politician’s hotel.
The FIR has been filed after a delay of eight days at Hussainganj police station under section 507 of the Indian Penal Code-criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication. Punishment under the section can extend up to two years of imprisonment.
The RTI activist, a resident of Purana Qila, Hussainganj, had approached the police on Monday, demanding security and stern action against the MLC after he was threatened over the phone on February 15. He alleged that the call was made from the MLC’s official mobile number to his own cell. He had even recorded the entire conversation with the MLC.
As police delayed its response, Ahmad had written to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, demanding proper probe of the incident through an independent agency.
Ahmad said he had submitted a query to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) on whether hotel Saubhagya Inn on station road in Hussainganj was constructed according to a sanctioned map, as vehicles parked outside the hotel were regularly causing traffic chaos. He said the LDA in its reply stated that the building was not constructed according to the sanctioned map and did not have proper car parking. According to Ahmad, when Tripathi got to know about the inquiries he was making, the politician called him up and thretended him of ‘dire consequences’.
{{/usCountry}}Ahmad said he had submitted a query to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) on whether hotel Saubhagya Inn on station road in Hussainganj was constructed according to a sanctioned map, as vehicles parked outside the hotel were regularly causing traffic chaos. He said the LDA in its reply stated that the building was not constructed according to the sanctioned map and did not have proper car parking. According to Ahmad, when Tripathi got to know about the inquiries he was making, the politician called him up and thretended him of ‘dire consequences’.
{{/usCountry}}Tripathi, on the other hand, had denied the allegations earlier while talking to HT over the phone.
He said he did not even know Shamim Ahmad and that the RTI activist himself had called him up and tried to blackmail him.