In yet another excess by a ruling party leader, Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Tendwari constituency in Banda, Brijesh Prajapati and his aides brutally assaulted a mining officer and held him hostage through Tuesday night.
The officer was subjected to torture for refusing to extort money from those engaged in mining and give Rs 25 lakh per month to the legislator as his 'share'.
The victim later approached District Magistrate Heeralal and narrated his trauma after which Superintendent of Police of Banda, S Anand, was called and a case was registered against Prajapati, his crony Neeraj Patel and half a dozen unidentified miscreants, with Kotwali police.
When contacted, the SP confirmed that a case was registered and claimed that they were still investigating the matter.
As per the FIR, district mining officer Shailendra Singh of Banda was called to the Circuit House by the BJP MLA and he and his aides held him hostage and assaulted him through Tuesday night for refusing to collect money from miners and hand him over Rs 25 lakh per month.
However, Prajapati denied the allegation, claiming that he had called the officer to complain about illegal mining.
He accused the district mining officer of conniving with illegal miners. He said that after he asked the district mining officer not to take action against those carrying sand on their bicycled, he conspired to defame him and lodged an FIR.