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The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday served a chargesheet on IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, whose suspension eight days ago triggered a huge controversy. Official sources said a copy of the chargesheet and a report had been sent to the Centre's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). The officer has been given 15 days to respond to the chargesheet, sources said. The 28-year-old sub-divisonal magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar had led a crackdown on sand mining mafia in her district. She was suspended on July 27, ostensibly for ordering the demolition of a wall of a under-construction mosque without allegedly following the due process. Earlier in the day, news reports said the Uttar Pradesh government was asked by the Centre to immediately give a report on the suspension. In another development, the Samajwadi Party on Sunday ruled out support to the Centre's food security Bill in its present form, amid the war of words between the UPA ally and the Congress over the suspension of Nagpal. On the eve of the
Monsoon session of Parliament, SP leader Naresh Agarwal made it clear the Bill in its present form was not acceptable and required certain amendments and that if need be the party would vote against it. "If need be, we will vote against the Bill."
The SP, which provides crucial outside support to the UPA, has 22 members in the Lok Sabha and its backing is vital for the passage of the bill, which is touted as a "game-changer" by the UPA government.
