Scribe’s murder: Akhilesh may sack accused minister

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is set to dismiss his minister Ram Murti Singh Verma, who is accused of Shahjahanpur-based journalist Jagendra Singh’s murder. At a closed door meeting with the Samajwadi Party top brass here on Friday evening, Akhilesh is learnt to have said that Verma should be sacked immediately.
SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and senior cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav attended the meeting held at Mulayam’s residence here.SP sources told TOI that Akhilesh advocated immediate action against Verma, while Mulayam, Ram Gopal and Shivpal wanted to take a decision once the inquiry was over.
An FIR was lodged against Verma and a few police officers after the journalist named them in his dying declaration. Singh’s family members told the police that he was set on fire by a bunch of policemen and goons sent to his house by Verma on June 1. The scribe struggled for life for a week at a hospital in Lucknow and died on June 8. Singh had been writing extensively against the minister on various social media platforms.
Earlier in the day, Governor Ram Naik said in Delhi that he had written to Akhilesh, asking for an inquiry into the journalist’s murder. Naik, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh, said he had apprised them of the incident.
Naik told TOI on phone from Delhi that he had also spoken to the UP chief minister apart from writing the letter. “It needs to be found whether it was murder or abetment to suicide. It is a serious matter and hence an inquiry is necessary,” said Naik.
However, Ram Gopal Yadav said: “Any person named as an accused in an FIR does not imply that he is guilty. Inquiry is on and action will be taken depending on its findings.”
Meanwhile, the SP expelled former MLA from Dadraula, Devendra Pal Singh, known to be a rival of Verma. “Devendra Pal Singh was expelled by party state president Akhilesh Yadav on grounds of indiscipline and anti-party activity,” SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.
Devendra was a sitting MLA from Dadraula when the party refused him a ticket for the 2012 Assembly polls and instead fielded Ram Murti Verma.