SP MLC detained with Rs 40 lakh cash, set free; FIR lodged

OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR FAILED TO EXPLAIN THE CASH FOLLOWING WHICH THEY WERE DETAINED. INCOME TAX OFFICIALS HAD BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THE RECOVERY FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS, THE POLICE SAID.

PRAYAGRAJ: Meja police detained Samajwadi Party (SP) MLC Man Singh Yadav and two others after a tip-off that they were carrying “unaccounted cash” worth lakhs in their sport utility vehicle (SUV) on Tuesday. The police found Rs 40 lakh cash in the vehicle.

The occupants of the car failed to give any satisfactory answer regarding the cash following which they were detained. Income tax officials had been informed about the recovery for further investigations, the police said.

Superintendent of police (trans-Yamuna) Saurabh Dixit said acting on the tip-off received by DIG Sarvshreshth Tripathi, an SUV was intercepted by a police team near Pehlwan Dhaba on Meja road in the early hours on Tuesday.

SP MLC Man Singh Yadav, his aide Sanjay Yadav and the driver were found in the vehicle from which Rs 40 lakh cash was recovered, the SP said.

“An FIR has been lodged in this connection under relevant sub sections of section 171 of IPC and the Income Tax Act and further investigations are on,” he added.

It is suspected that the seized cash was to be given to zila panchayat members to influence zila panchayat chairpersons’ election, polling for which is set to take place on July 3, the police said.

Meanwhile, SP spokesperson Daan Bahadur alleged that MLC Man Singh was harassed by police on pretext of checking his vehicle.

The MLC claimed that his friend Sanjay Yadav, a trader, was carrying the cash for his own purpose. For the sake of security, Sanjay Yadav had requested the MLC to give him a lift which the latter obliged, Bahadur claimed.

Meja police violated the protocols and took the MLC to police station for questioning and was released around 9 am only after a large number of SP leaders and workers reached there in his support, Bahadur said.

SP district president Yogesh Chandra Yadav, general secretary Sandeep Singh Patel, former MP Nagendra Singh Patel and dozens of party workers welcomed MLC Man Singh at party’s office later.