Even after mining minister Gyatri Prajapati got a favorable report from then state ombudsman Justice (Retd) NK Mehrotra, at least in alleged case of making huge wealth through money earned with illegal mining, but his story ``from rag to riches’ and now his surprise expulsion all pointed towards huge ``corruption’, to which now the sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing in depth.
However, Prajapati so far maintained that he was not involved in any irregularity or corruption, and the lokayukta probe was there to prove his `innocence’. He said that even CBI could not find anything against him as was never involved in corruption.
Social activists Nutan Thakur, who filed complaint against Prajapati with lokayukta and later also went to High Court, claimed that the action by Akhilesh Yadav is just to save his mining minister from any legal action in wake of on-going probe by the CBI. ``How a man who was a BPl card holder when he became first time MlA in 2012 now turned up a millionaire within four years having several industries and other leading business establishment, properties, owned in his or his kin names”, she pointed while charging Prajapti for indulging in illegal mining. She alleged that even many properties were owned by Gyatri in his driver, and other staff particularly a woman friend.
She claimed that during probe, even then lokayukta found that how Prajapati was running a well strong `syndicate’ comprising of public representatives, media persons, transporters and local officials. The syndicate is facilitating the trade and the money was collected in illegal mining in the name of `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), having Gyatri’s son with Anil as director. Besides, Dr Thakur has also presented 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 facts about Prajapati’s three brothers Jagdish, Chediram and Sriram being beneficiaries of Antyoday Yojana and he and his brothers being in BPl list.
two sons –Anil Prajapati and Anurag Prajapati became director of a dozen companies which reported 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.
It may be mentioned that during probe by then state ombudsman, both Ram Sahai and Gudda, alleged driver and woman friend of Prajapati, refused to give any details sought from them, and instead questioned lokayukta’s `authority’ of questioning them. Interestingly not only Nutan, but even Income Tax Department confirmed to lokayukta that Ram Sahai had procured eight properties worth over Rs 77 lakh in last two years but had not filed any return in the above period.
It may be also mentioned that former State ombudsman had closed probe filed by the first complainant, Om Shankar Dwivedi against Prajapati. later he also withdraw probe of two more complainants, social activists Nutan Thakur and Yashwant Singh, claiming that they failed to give any direct evidence against the mining minister.
Sources said that in his report sent to the state government also, than state ombudsman had mentioned that charges of making disproportionate assets against Prajapati could not be made in absence of `evidence’. However, he also mentioned to have not probed the `illegal mining’ charges as the matter was pending with the high-court. Now, when on the directions of High Court, the CBI started probe of illegal mining, the government went ahead with expulsion of the minister Gyatri Prajapati, as according to sources, the CBI collected strong evidences of rampant `illegal mining’ in Uttar Pradesh and very soon they will report it to High Court, and would sought permission to get a case registered in the matter so that they could proceed with legal action.