UP Cops Giving ’Supari’ for Those Raising Voice Against Corruption: Priyanka Gandhi on Mahoba Murder

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Uttar Pradesh government after a Mahoba-based stone trader was shot dead in “mysterious circumstances” days after accusing the district’s former SP of demanding bribe.

Indrakant Tripathi was shot by assailants last Tuesday, days after he had levelled allegations of corruption against the then Mahoba’s Police Superintendent Manilal Patidar. The 44-year-old trader later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur on Sunday.

Uttar Pradesh government had suspended the SP and an SHO a day after the trader was shot on corruption charges. Later, case of attempt to murder was registered against four persons, including the suspended SP, the suspended SHO, and Indrakant’s business rival Suresh Soni under various sections of the IPC, including attempt to murder (307) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Congress leader has alleged that officers in the state are now “giving Supari” for those who raise their voice against corruption and slammed the dreaded form of “Jungle Raj” in the state.

“The murder of Mahoba businessman Indrakant Tripathi is a question on the functioning of the entire UP government. Crime and corruption are at its peak in the BJP government and now the officers of this government are giving supari of those who are raising voice against corruption. This is a dreaded form of jungle raj,” she said in the tweet in Hindi.

Angry villagers had gheraoed the Kabrai police station in the district after the victim’s business partner Purshottam Soni was taken to the station by officials.

“Mahoba Additional SP picked up Soni. He (additional SP), however, left the Kabrai police station as soon as Mahoba District Magistrate Avadhesh Kumar Tiwari reached there. The gherao of the police station was then lifted,” the victim’s brother, Ravikant Tripathi was quoted as saying.

Ravikant alleged that the police was trying to shield the suspended SP.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav demanded the arrest of Patidar. “The government should not indulge in the artificial suspension but must arrest the accused officials involved in the Indrakanat Tripathi’s murder, he said in a tweet.

“Why is there so much laxity in initiating action against the SP and the DM? Under what right the police are trying to stop public representatives from meeting public and raising issues of public interest?” asked Yadav, adding if the state government has any stake in saving against the officials.

Indrakant was found injured in his car with a gunshot wound at the Banda-Kabrai road around 2.30 pm on Tuesday. His brother alleged that that the incident took place days after Patidar demanded a bribe of Rs 6 lakh for allowing transportation of material from Indrakant and threatened to kill him or send to jail if he fails to pay.

Indrakant had posted a video detailing the alleged bribe on social media and had expressed his inability to pay the bribe as business had to be shut down due to the lockdown.

“My brother uploaded a video on social media on September 7 and 8… after a few hours on Tuesday (September 8), he was found in his car with a bullet injury,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered suspension of the SHO with immediate effect and had also ordered a vigilance probe into the properties of Patidar.

(With inputs from PTI)