HC seeks reply on petitions challenging transfer of cops

The Allahabad High Court today sought a reply from the Uttar Pradesh government on petitions challenging shifting of more than 100 police personnel out of Pratapgarh district in the wake of CBI probe into the murder of DSP Zia-ul-Haq.
The order was passed by Justice V K Shukla who fixed April 15 as the next date of hearing on writ petitions filed by 88 police personnel who were among those transferred on April three.
The petitioners alleged their transfers were effected at the instance of controversial Independent MLA and former UP Cabinet minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya who had been named an accused in the murder case.

A total of 111 police personnel were moved out of the Pratapgarh district following the CBI probe into the slaying of the DSP.
The transferred cops were posted in Manikpur, Nawabganj, Kunda and Hathgawan police stations of Pratapgarh district.
All these police stations fell under the Kunda Circle of which the murdered DSP was in-charge.

The DSP was believed to have been killed by a mob on March two in Balipur village in Kunda where violence had erupted after village pradhan Nanhe Yadav was gunned down earlier in the day.
The state government's counsel opposed the petitions submitting the transfer order was passed on the basis of a recommendation from the CBI which was investigating the matter.

No stigma was attached to any of the transferred police personnel, the counsel said.
However, the judge asked the government's counsel to file an affidavit placing entire facts on record by the next date of hearing.