Headlines
SP refuses to act against minister for scribe's death
Lucknow, June 15
The ruling Samajwadi Party
(SP) on Monday categorically refused to act against minister of state
Ram Murti Verma, accused of ordering the killing of a journalist by
setting him afire.
Mere lodging of an FIR cannot be the basis for
the sacking of the minister, senior UP minister and SP chief spokesman
Shivpal Singh Yadav said at a press conference.
"Just because
someone has levelled allegations against someone does not prove that the
accused is guilty," said Shivpal Yadav, the younger brother of SP chief
Mulayam Singh Yadav.
However, he added, the Akhilesh Yadav government would extend financial assistance to the bereaved family.
The
top Samajwadi Party leadership, including party general secretary Ram
Gopal Yadav, earlier toed the same line and defended Verma.
Social
media journalist Jagendra Singh died of burn injuries after he was
allegedly set ablaze by a senior police official during a raid at his
house on June 1.
In a video recording made by senior IPS officer
Amitabh Thakur during his meeting with the victim at the burns ward at a
hospital in the state capital, Jagendra Singh accused Verma of letting
loose his henchmen on him on April 28 and then getting him set on fire
on June 1.
After a hue and cry in the media, the minister was booked in the case along with others. Five policemen were suspended.
The
family of Jagendra begun a fast-unto-death from Sunday to press for the
immediate sacking of the minister from the state cabinet and a CBI
probe into the matter.
They also accused the minister and senior
SP leader Mithlesh Kumar of trying to offer them money and threatening
them with dire consequences.