Will take action against Akhilesh for damages: Minister

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

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

The report stated that Yadav made illegal constructions in the guest house, security quarter and waiting room. He had spent Rs 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 had 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 had damaged the bungalow,”Singh said.

“Now he should respond to the probe report of the technical committee,” 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 had 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 had termed it as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image. He also refuted the allegation that he had left his residence in a shambles. 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 leaders of the opposition parties are being targeted. The report of the technical committee 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 government residence to former chief ministers at his/her request for lifetime. Quashing the amendment, the SC had observed that “Section 4(3) of UP Ministers (salaries, allowances & miscellane- ous provisions) Act, 2016 is unconstitutional.”

Former chief ministers, including Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh, Akhilesh Yadav and ND Tiwari had vacated the government bungalows following the Supreme Court order.