Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Saturday ordered an inquiry into a purported audio clip in which state minister Swati Singh allegedly threatened a police officer in Lucknow. He has also summoned Singh, reported ANI.
“A report in this connection has been sought from the SSP, Lucknow and will be submitted to the chief minister at the earliest,” Director General of Police OP Singh told Hindustan Times.
In the purported audio clip, Singh is heard expressing displeasure over a first information report against Ansal Developers. She allegedly told Circle Officer, Lucknow Cantonment, Binu Singh that there were orders from the higher-ups that a case will not be registered against the real estate firm.
She also alleged that “fake cases” were being filed against the company. “It’s false. Close the case,” Singh is heard saying.
Singh added that the matter was in the know of the chief minister. The minister is heard asking the circle officer to sit with her to resolve the matter if she wanted to continue working. The clip was widely shared on social media.
On September 29, vice chairman of the real estate group Pranav Ansal was detained at the Delhi airport in connection with criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery.
Opposition parties in the state have attacked the Adityanath government over the purported clip.
“‘The matter is high profile and is under the cognizance of the Chief Minister. What inquiry will you do? Come and sit down’ is this the zero tolerance for corruption which the Chief Minister is not tired of speaking about? Shame!” the Samajwadi Party tweeted quoting the alleged recorded conversation. State Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said the incident showed the “hold of scamsters under the BJP government”.
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