The Supreme Court on Friday directed the UP Government to respond to a PIl filed by a BSP MP against black marketing of subsidised kerosene in the State at the behest of powerful persons including politicians.
With sensitive allegations being leveled against a Samajwadi Party MlA from Sadabad constituency, Devender Agarwal and his brother-in-law, the bench of Justices TS Thakur and Vikramajit Sen directed the petitioner to implead them.
The petitioner Seema Upadhyaya, MP from Fatehpur Sikri readily agreed to the Court’s suggestion as her lawyer suggested that the interest of the petitioner was only to highlight the large scale illegality being carried out in siphoning subsidised kerosene to benefit few unscrupulous elements, who reaped riches from the trade over the years.
Initially, the Court was hesitant to issue notice as it enquired, “Is it some political fight.” The bulk of the petition contained allegations against the sitting MlA of ruling party.
The petition alleged that ration shop dealers and petty outlets sold subsidised kerosene at `14 to `15 per litre to adulterators and black marketers, who would chemically treat it and sell it at petrol pumps, diesel at `54 and petrol `74 per litre.