Even after Mining Minister Gayatri Prajapati got a favorable report from then State Ombudsman Justice (Retd) NK Mehrotra, in a case accusing him of amassing huge wealth through illegal mining, his rag-to-riches story and now his surprise expulsion, all point towards huge ‘corruption’, which the sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing in-depth.
However, Prajapati has so far maintained that he is not involved in any irregularity or corruption, and the lokayukta’s probe was there to prove his ‘innocence’. He said that even the CBI could not find anything against him as he was never involved in corruption.
Social activists Nutan Thakur, who filed a complaint against Prajapati with the lokayukta and later also went to the High Court said, “How can a man who was a BPl card holder when he first became a MlA in 2012 become a millionaire within four years. How can he and his kin own several industries and other leading business establishments, properties etc.” Accusing Prajapati of indulging in illegal mining, she alleged that many properties belonging to Prajapati were in the name of his driver, and other staff, particularly a woman friend.
She claimed that during the probe, even then lokayukta found out how Prajapati was running a strong ‘syndicate’ comprising of public representatives, media persons, transporters and local officials. The syndicate was facilitating the trade and the money was being collected in the name of a ‘VIP’, the code word for ‘extortion’.
Thakur earlier claimed that she gave property details of Prajapati, his wife Maharaji, daughters Sudha and Ankita (village Parsawa), sons Anurag (Dilkusha road) and Anil (Indrajeet Kheda, Amethi). She said that the properties were allegedly brought after October 2013 pointing that they were probably made by income through illegal mining. She claimed that in addition to the above properties, she also gave examples of life Cure Medical Center (Pratapgarh, Amethi), Shubhang Exports limited (Amethi, Indrajeet Kheda)and Decent constructions (Indrajeet Kheda), where Prajapati’s son Anil is a director. Besides, Dr Thakur has also presented facts about 7 properties of Prajapati’s associates, Devatadeen at Mahmudpur and 15 properties of his official driver Ramraj and 10 properties of private driver Ram Sahai. She presented proof about Prajapati’s three brothers Jagdish, Chediram and Sriram being beneficiaries of Antyoday Yojana and he and his brothers being in the BPl list.
Two sons — Anil Prajapati and Anurag Prajapati became director of a dozen companies which reportedly came into existence after Prajapati became Minister. It may be mentioned that the younger son of the above leader, had suddenly resigned from half of the companies which are now under the scanner. Mehrorta is probing a complaint of alleged disproportionate assets acquired by Prajapati, his family members and others.
She further alleged that Anurag Prajapati, younger son of the Minister, who along with his elder son, Anil Prajapati, had opened a dozen companies — MGA Colonisers, Desert Contractors, lifecare Medical and Research, Suhag Export, Daya Builders Private limited, Excel Built Tech, Kahana Build Well, MGA Hospitality, MSA Infra Venture, MGM Agro Tech, MSG Realtors and MSGA Enterprises, since 2013, after Gyatri Prajapati turned Minister. Interestingy, when the above companies are under the scanner of the lokayukt, Anurag had reportedly resigned from the directorship from half a dozen of the companies in the beginning of this year though his resignation was shown accepted with effect from November 17, 2014 from five companies and December 10, 2014 from one of the companies.