Tussle in SP top brass comes to fore following FIR against party leader

BAREILLY

: Even as tensions within the Samajwadi Party, following family dispute, continue to simmer in the state, swords were drawn in the region as two of its leaders – district vice president

Sandesh Kanaujiya

and

Rajya Sabha

MP Veerpal Singh Yadav – remained at loggerheads over fresh incident of loot case against Kanaujiya.

According to sources, a case was filed against Kanaujiya and three others for vandalism and loot at a local restaurant in Bithri Chainpur on Monday night. The eatery’s owner Anil Patel filed a complaint with the police alleging Kanaujiya and his aides of storming into the restaurant and taking away cash kept in a box. They had also reportedly destroyed food items and threatened its owner of dire consequences if they complained about it to cops.

An FIR of loot and vandalism was then filed after intervention by the deputy inspector general (DIG) Ashutosh kumar. Kanaujiya, however, targeted Yadav and decried political vendetta against him.

"This was done on the directions of Yadav. He was not happy with my appointment as the district vice president,” said Kanaujiya.

Kanaujiya was removed from his post in February this year following complaints from Yadav. According to official sources, Yadav had, in his report, sent an audio clip showing Kanaujiya using foul language against him.

But Kanaujiya was soon reinstated to the post. Shortly after this, Yadav had tendered his resignation.

When contacted Yadav declined to comment, saying he cannot ‘waste time on petty issues’.

Meanwhile, Kanaujiya claimed that he will tear into all allegations slapped against him. “I am trying to get evidences which show that complainant Patel was not in the restaurant when the incident took place. I will surrender if I am proven guilty.”

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