In an attempt to come clean before the Assembly polls, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked two ministers facing corruption charges. The decision came two days after the Allahabad High Court refused to shelve a CBI probe against illegal mining in Uttar Pradesh.
On Monday morning, Mining and Geology minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati and state Minor Irrigation, Animal Husbandry and Panchayati Raj minister Raj Kishore Singh were sacked from the ministry.
While Gayatri was removed following Allahabad High court order to go for a CBI probe into illegal mining in the state, Raj Kishore was sacked for his involvement in check dam scam in Pratapgarh, land grabbing in Basti and his involvement in illegal mining in Sonebhadra region.
Both were very close to Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav Senior, who is in Delhi, feigned ignorance about the move. He claimed that he came to know about expulsion of ministers from the media.
A highly placed source in the government said that Chief Minister has kept both – Gyatri Prajapati and Raj Kishore – in the dark about their removal. They were informed at around 9 am on Monday that they have been expelled. Both tried to contact Mulayam Singh and later left for New Delhi.
Prajapti’s mercurial rise from the BPl card holder to a billionaire caught everyone’s imagination. Complaints were lodged but he managed to come clean pulling the `right’ strings at the `right’ time.
Prajapati is an MlA from Amethi Assembly segment – the region represented in lok Sabha by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. .
In his election affidavit during the 2002 Assembly polls, Prajapati had valued his property worth a meagre Rs. 9,436. In 2012 polls, his property jumped up to Rs 3, 71,720 . It is said that his income had risen and ran into several thousand crore rupees in the last four years. Prajapati owns several bungalows, cars, farm houses and businesses in the name of his family members.
The minister and his family members were also reported to have got BPl cards made out for themselves to take advantage of Kanya Vidya Dhan.
Prajapati began as Minister of state for Irrigation in February 2013 and was moved to the lucrative berth of minister of state for Mining under the CM, who held the portfolio. In July 2013, the CM elevated Prajapati to MoS (Independent Charge) and in January 2014, he was made a Cabinet Minister.
Raj Kishore, an MlA from Haraiya seat of Basti, too was involved in several cases of scams and land grabbing causing major embarrassment to the Samajwadi Party government. Raj Kishore’s wife is the district panchayat chairperson while his brother contested the last lok Sabha polls on a SP ticket from Basti.
The Allahabad High Court on July 28 directed the CBI to investigate illegal mining across the state and also the role of government officials facilitating it, and submit a report within six weeks. On September 09, the HC rejected an application by the state government for withdrawal of its order.