ACTION AGAINST AKHILESH OVER DAMAGE TO BUNGALOW: UP GOVT

LUCKNOW: A day after the technical committee, probing the damages caused to the bungalow vacated by Akhilesh Yadav gave its report, the state government on Thursday said it will initiate legal action against the former chief minister for flouting rules.

In its 266-page report, the committee has estimated damage to the tune of ~5.84 lakh, which includes floor, brickworks, plaster, paint and sanitary fixtures.

The report said Yadav made illegal constructions in the guest house, security quarter and waiting room. He had spent ~4.67 crore on the illegal construction.

“The report submitted by the five-member committee states that Yadav not only caused damage to the government bungalow but also carried out illegal construction inside it. He carried out extra construction without taking permission of the estate department. Legal action will be taken against him for flouting the rules,” said state government spokesperson and health minister Siddharth Nath Singh.

Singh said that after the media highlighted the damages in the bungalow, Yadav levelled charges against the state government. “He tried to make it a political issue but now the report of the committee has made it clear that Yadav damaged the bungalow. Now he should respond to the probe report,” said the minister.

A state government officer said the estate department will issue notice to Yadav for the recovery of the damage to the government bungalow.

Singh said governor Ram Naik had shot off a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath to order a probe against Yadav for damaging the government bungalow.

He vacated the bungalow on June 8 after the Supreme Court turned the allotment void. The bungalow was thrown open to the media. The photographs and video clips of the damaged bungalow were circulated on social media. Yadav termed it as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image.

SP spokesperson Sunil Sajan said the BJP government is trying to divert attention of the people from its failure and lawlessness in the state. The report was concocted on the direction of BJP leaders, he said.

The Supreme Court on May 7, 2018 struck down the amendment to the Uttar Pradesh Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1981 to provide for allotment of gover- nment residence to former chief ministers for lifetime.