Gorakhpur BJP worker arrested for accepting bribe after CM intervenes

Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, October 21

A woman BJP leader from chief minister Adityanath’s constituency, Gorakhpur, was arrested recently following his intervention for reportedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000, sources said on Saturday.

According to police sources, the leader, Sarita Singh, is an office bearer of Gorakhpur unit of BJP Mahila Morcha.

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Sources said that sub-inspector Raj Kumar’s mobile phone was stolen on October 13, for which a suspect, identified as Harshit, was arrested.

During interrogation, Harshit confessed to three mobile thefts. His mother, Rita Pandey, met Sarita Singh at the Cantonment Police Station when she went to bail him out. Singh reportedly promised to have Harshit out of police custody for Rs 50,000.

Pandey paid the money, but when her son still remained in jail, she and some relatives tried to get it back.

On Friday, Harshit’s relatives approached a neighbour, Prabha Pandey, who took them to chief minister Adityanath, in Gorakhpur at that time.

The chief minister summoned Senior Superintendent of Police Satyarth Aniruddha Pankaj to ask him to take action. Singh was arrested after the victim submitted a written complaint.

Police have booked her for cheating and criminal breach of trust.