The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a probe into media reports that the district magistrate and the sub-divisional magistrate of Jalaun allegedly spoke to special CBI judge (Ranchi) Shivpal Singh on the phone, requesting the acquittal of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad in a fodder scam case.
The special CBI judge hails from Shekhupur village in Jalaun. The phone call was allegedly made to him on December 23 last year.
The case relates to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar treasury 21 years ago. The judge had also said that he received phone calls from the RJD chief’s well-wishers.
Jhansi divisional commissioner Amit Gupta has been asked to conduct the probe and submit a report to the state government at the earliest. However, Gupta said he was yet to receive such orders from the state government.
Senior UP government officials either remained inaccessible or refused to comment on the issue.
People familiar with the matter and close to chief minister Yogi Adityanath said he had taken a serious note of media reports about the alleged phone call made to the special CBI judge by Jalaun district magistrate Mannan Akhtar and sub divisional magistrate Bhairpal Singh and he asked the Jhansi commissioner to submit his report at the earliest.
When contacted, Akhtar said he had not made any call as reported in a section of the media. “I will file a defamation case against those trying to malign me,” Akhtar said.
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, Akhtar said he had not made any call as reported in a section of the media. “I will file a defamation case against those trying to malign me,” Akhtar said.
{{/usCountry}}The SDM also said he did not make any recommendation.
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