‘Contract fraud’ case: Minister JP Nishad quizzed

THE MINISTER WAS SUMMONED FOR RECORDING HIS STATEMENTS AND HE WAS QUIZZED FOR OVER 90 MINUTES BY THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER OF THE CASE, POLICE SAID

LUCKNOW The Lucknow police quizzed minister of state for animal husbandry Jai Prakash Nishad here in connection with a case wherein an Indore businessman was duped by some people by promising him government contracts in the animal husbandry department, police said.

“One of the close aides of the minister is allegedly involved in the case. The minister was quizzed (on Sunday) about his staff and whether he was aware about their activities,” said a senior police official privy to the matter on Monday.

The minister was summoned for recording his statements and he was quizzed for over 90 minutes by the investigating officer of the case, police said.

According to police, last year the fraudsters lured the businessmen with government contracts in the animal husbandry department, which they (fraudsters) claimed was worth ₹292.14 crore, and took ₹ 9.72 crore from him (businessman) as commission. Later when the promise remained unfulfilled, the businessman insisted on the contract but was threatened by an associate of the fraudsters and also warned of being framed for fraud by a senior IPS officer.

The businessmen was also tortured, held hostage and even threatened to be killed in an encounter by a gang of police personnel, who asked him to stay away from Lucknow if he wanted to remain alive, said police.

The accused used a room of Vidhan Sabha secretariat to impress and lure the businessman, who paid a commission of ₹ 9.72 crore to the gang, which included a senior journalist of a

well-known news group and Vidhan Sabha secretariat staffers.

One of the accused introduced himself to the businessman as deputy director SK Mittal of the animal husbandry department, according to initial investigation in the case.

The state government recently suspended two DIGs after their names cropped up for their alleged connections with the accused.

Over half a dozen people have already been arrested in the case and police have also recovered a large amount of cash from them.