Blaming the Samajwadi Party for blackmailing BSP, leader of the opposition in the state legislative council Nasimuddin Siddiqui said that the FIR lodged against him in parks and memorial scam was false and was done with a malafide intention.
‘’The timing of the FIR just before the winter session of the state legislature was an effort by the government to put a pressure on the BSP to withdraw its case against the illegal re-appointment of the lokayukta,’’ Siddiqui told reporters here on Thursday.
“I am totally innocent and government has framed me in the scam,’’ he claimed while adding that timing of the case itself vindicate the charges of the government.
The BSP leaders have gone to the court alleging that the term of the lokayukta was extended without the approval from the leader of the Opposition which is mandatory.
The BSP members also created pandemonium in the legislative council over the issue.
In a surprise move Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has ordered to initiate legal proceedings into large scale irregularities in construction of memorials and parks during the previous Mayawati regime in the State. Sleuths of the Vigilance Establishment of UP police would register criminal cases against former minister Naseemudeen Siddiqui, Babu Singh Kushwaha and 19 senior engineers of the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam in the alleged scam to the tune of Rs 1400 crores.
“The charges leveled against me are false. We are ready to contest the case in the court,” Siddiqui said and added that BSP has already challenged appiointment of lokayukt.
“We consider the appointment of Justice Mehrotra as illegal. The case is pending in Supreme Court,“ he said.