Akhilesh announces Rs 11L award for exposing culprits who vandalised bungalow

Lucknow, August 5

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday announced a cash award of Rs 11 lakh to whoever gave the names of those who damaged the bungalow here at 4, Vikramaditya Marg, which was allotted to him when he was chief minister.

His announcement comes days after the Uttar Pradesh Government warned that action would be taken against the SP leader as he had done “some damage” while vacating the bungalow in June.

The Rs 11 lakh will be raised through contributions of Rs 2,000 each from the party’s members, Yadav said at a programme here to mark the birth anniversary of socialist leader Janeshwar Mishra also known as Chhote Lohia.

“The way police announces cash rewards..., I would tell my friends from the media that on the said night, some people from news channels had gone there. You tell us the names of those who damaged the building, we Samajwadi people will pool in with Rs 2,000 and give cash reward of Rs 11 lakh,” he said.

SP patriarch and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was also present at the event held at Janeshwar Mishra Park.

Akhilesh Yadav had vacated the bungalow following an order by the Supreme Court. The apex court had observed that former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office.

Earlier, senior Cabinet Minister Siddharth Nath Singh had alleged that the SP chief had indulged in “todphod” (damage) before vacating the bungalow.            

“...One thing is clear, that he undertook some construction for which he did not take permission from the Estates Department. A law is there for this (unauthorised construction) and the law will take its course,” Singh had told reporters.

After Akhilesh Yadav vacated the bungalow, video clips and photos had shown damage to a cycle track, on walls and to a floor of what appeared to be a badminton court.

The SP leader had then said it was an attempt by the ruling BJP to defame him.

In June, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik instructed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to order a probe against the SP chief for leaving the government property damaged.

Following the visuals of the damage inside the bungalow, a high level inquiry was also ordered.

The Public Works Department chief engineer has submitted a 266-page inquiry report to the state estates officer.

When Akhilesh Yadav became Uttar Pradesh chief minister in 2012, he was allotted the bungalow, which he retained after his party lost the assembly election last year. — PTI