India News | BJP Leader Writes to UP CM Accusing Senior State Govt Officer of Graft, Official Terms It 'political Conspiracy'
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A senior BJP leader here has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accusing the joint director of the secondary education department of corruption, a charge denied by the officer who termed it a political conspiracy against his wife who is preparing to contest mayoral polls.
Ayodhya (UP), Dec 15 (PTI) A senior BJP leader here has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accusing the joint director of the secondary education department of corruption, a charge denied by the officer who termed it a political conspiracy against his wife who is preparing to contest mayoral polls.
The officer said his wife is a BJP leader and the state secretary of the party's Mahila Morcha.
Also Read | Mumbai 26/11 Terror Attacks Survivor Anjali Kulthe Shares Her Sorrow and Trauma at UNSC (Watch Video).
In his complaint, Rajnish Singh, the spokesperson and media in-charge of the BJP's Ayodhya unit, alleged that Joint Director Arvind Pandey is " infamous for being corrupt.
Pandey has successfully managed his corrupt activities during the previous governments, the BJP leader alleged and demanded a probe by the CBI and ED against the official as well as his transfer from Ayodhya.
"A newly built luxury hotel in Ayodhya is run by Pandey in a 'benami' manner. He also owns a degree college in Barabanki and has lots of land in Barabanki and Faizabad," the BJP leader told PTI.
In his complaint to the chief minister, Singh also mentioned that in the past a vigilance enquiry was ordered against Pandey but he successfully "managed" the enquiry in collusion with administrative officials and investigative agencies.
When contacted to seek comments over the BJP leader's allegations, Pandey said, "It is very clear that my wife Mamta Pandey is preparing to contest the election for the post of the Ayodhya mayor. She is also a senior BJP leader, and state secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha. This complaint against me is politically motivated."
"I am posted in Ayodhya for the last one year. Why didn't they file a complaint against me earlier? They are doing this now so that my wife doesn't get a BJP ticket (to fight the polls)," the officer claimed said.
About whether he has a luxury hotel in Ayodhya or has a stake in that business, Arvind Pandey replied, "My wife is a partner in that hotel. Most of the hotel land is owned by my family members and it has been built under a tourist policy aided by the government. The hotel has 20 to 25 people as partners and it got subsidy from the government."
Asked about the degree college in Barabanki, he said, "Any educational institute doesn't belong to any individual. It always belongs to a trust or society."
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)