‘Trust’s ex-secretary got extortion letters before scam surfaced’

LUCKNOW: Some unidentified people were demanding extortion from former secretary of UPPCL employees’ trust Praveen Kumar Gupta, alleging his involvement in financial irregularities and threatening to conduct a probe against him even before the multi-crore PF investment scam came to fore, said police.

Gupta’s wife Anju had lodged an FIR in this regard with the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on September 5, 2019. She said that money was demanded through letters sent at his office and residence addresses between May 25 and July 7, 2019.

But the police had so far failed to trace the people behind it, she said.

Praveen Gupta and director (finance), UPPCL Sudhanshu Dwivedi were arrested on Saturday for their alleged involvement in the ₹2,200- crore scam related to the investment of power employees’ provident fund contribution in a Mumbaibased private housing finance company (DHFCL). Former managing director of UPPCL AP Mishra was also arrested on Tuesday.

According to the FIR, Gupta’s wife said that the extortion was demanded through two speed posts delivered at her husband’s

office address (at Shakti Bhawan on Ashok Marg, Hazratganj) on May 25 and July 11, 2019 while an anonymous letter was dropped at his residential address (Chandralok Hydel Colony in Aliganj) on July 3.

The first speed post was sent with the name of one Sanjiv Batra of Qaiserbagh, Lucknow. After that an anonymous letter was dropped by two persons at Gupta’s residence address while another speed post was sent to the office address with the name of one Kuldeep Kumar of Ashok Marg, Lucknow.

In the FIR, Anju Gupta mentioned that the contents of all three extortion letters were almost the same – threatening to expose her husband for his alleged involvement in the irregularities. She stated that her husband had also informed his seniors about the extortion letters.

Abhay Mishra, circle officer, Hazratganj police station, said the FIR was registered under

section 389 of the IPC (for putting a person in fear of accusation of offence, in order to commit extortion) against Sanjiv Batra and Kuldeep Kumar.

He said the case was later transferred to the Aliganj police station as Gupta’s residence came under its jurisdiction.

Inspector of Aliganj police station Fareed Ahmad said the two speed posts demanding extortion were sent at Gupta’s Shakti Bhawan office address while one letter was stated to be delivered at his residence in Aliganj.

The Hazratganj police had transferred the investigation to Aliganj on October 11, mentioning that the residence address was in Aliganj, but did not attach the letter delivered at the residence, said Ahmad.

He said Ganj cops only attached the copies of two speed posts delivered at the Shakti Bhawan address.

Ahmad said he had asked the investigation officer to approach the family, which was now in Agra after Gupta was transferred there around six weeks ago.

He said the house in Chandralok Hydel Colony where Gupta’s family resided was now allotted to some other person.