A complaint against Uttar Pradesh mining minister and SP MLA Gayatri Prasad Prajapati has been filed with the state Lokayukta for allegedly misusing his office and amassing assets worth several crores, a charge denied by the legislator.
"A complaint has been received by me against the minister. As the complaint is properly documented, we will probe it," Lokayukta NK Mehrotra told PTI.
The complaint has been filed by Om Shanker Dwivedi, a resident of Pratapgarh district and has the mention of five companies in which Gayatri, his wife and son are directors, he said.
Prajapati, a Samjwadi Party MLA from Amethi, however said that the complaint was an attempt to "malign" his political image and he would explore legal action against those involved in the act.
The complaint letter running into 1,727 pages contains proof of properties belonging to the minister and his kin in Amethi, Lucknow and Mohanlalganj, along with the copies of registries, Mehrotra said.
"Before becoming legislator I was a contractor in HAL, Amethi and also director of a company involved in sale or purchase of properties. Later, after becoming an MLA, I resigned from the post of director. The complaint has been done to blackmail me", Prajapati said.
The minister said that copy of "fake registries" (of properties) have been furnished with the complaint.
Meanwhile, BJP has sought reply of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on the issue.
"The mining minister is playing in the hands of mining mafia and minting money. Despite orders of High Court, illegal mining could not be stopped as mining mafia are patronised by government itself", BJP spokesman Chandramohan told reporters.
He said that SP government had only taken forward "corrupt practices" of the previous BSP regime and did nothing for the people.
