Bulldozer action taken against Ayodhya, Kannauj rape accused
LUCKNOW/AYODHYA/KANPUR:
The district administrations of Ayodhya and Kannauj on Thursday demolished one illegal building each there belonging to rape accused in the respective district.
While Ayodhya rape accused Moid Khan’s shopping complex was razed in Bhadarsa town, in Kannauj some portions of a cold storage owned by a relative of rape accused and ‘Samajwadi Party’ leader Nawab Singh Yadav there were demolished. Both Moid Khan and Nawab Singh Yadav are in jail.
The Ayodhya administration deployed bulldozers to accomplish the task. The operation began at around 1.30 pm. It continued for four-and-a-half hours during which the rear portion of the two-storeyed building was bulldozed.
Moid Khan, who is also a Samajwadi Party leader, is accused of gang rape of a minor in Ayodhya. According to the police, the complex was vacated in advance and also a branch of a nationalised bank running at the complex was shifted in last few days.
Heavy security arrangements were made in entire Bhadarsa town ahead of the demolition with the deployment of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and civil police.
Moid Khan is a member of the SP’s Ayodhya (Faizabad) MP’s team. He was found involved in a case of gang rape of a minor that surfaced last month.
SDM, Sohawal tehsil, AK Saini said: “The shopping complex of Moid Khan was built on a government land so we have taken up the action to demolish the unauthorised building”.
The rape case triggered a political slugfest on July 31 when chief minister Yogi Adityanath cornered the SP in the state assembly over the matter.
On July 30, the Ayodhya police registered FIR of gang rape against the accused.
In Lucknow, a statement from the state government said, “Previously, an investigation by the tehsil administration revealed that the accused’s bakery was situated on pond land, leading to the demolition of the bakery manufacturing unit”.
Quoting the Ayodhya Development Authority secretary Satyendra Singh, the statement said: “The building was constructed illegally by encroaching on pond land and Chak Road land. Despite multiple notices issued by the development authority, the property owners did not submit the required map or show any interest in complying. Subsequently, the demolition order was issued in June, and the action has now been initiated.”
“The SDM is conducting further investigations and any additional illegal properties discovered will also face action,” it added.
During the entire exercise on Thursday, forces of many police stations and PAC personnel along with officials of the revenue department and the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) remained on the spot.
Those present there included ADA secretary Satyendra Singh, SDM, Sohawal, Ashok Saini and CO, Ayodhya, Ashutosh Tiwari among others.
Before the action started, the electricity connection of the complex was disconnected and all roads leading to the spot were blocked.
Kannuaj rape accused Nawab Singh was arrested on August 12 on the charges of raping a 15-year-old girl in his degree college on August 11 night.
Arvind Yadav, the brother-inlaw of Nawab Singh’s younger brother Neelu Yadav, owns the cold storage parts of which were razed on Thursday. Neelu Yadav is also under scanner for allegedly influencing the rape investigation.
Located in Balnampur village within Thathiya police jurisdiction, the cold storage was built on gram sabha land that was illegally occupied. Despite previous warnings to remove the encroachment, no action was taken, officials said.
Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Tirwa, Ashok Kumar said Arvind was directed to remove the illegal encroachment within seven days.
As he did not comply with the order, the expenses of demolition would be recovered from him, he said. The 200-metre long boundary and several rooms constructed in the cold storage were demolished.
Nawab Singh is a partner in the cold storage, according to officials privy to the details. The administration is mapping out the assets of Nawab Singh and his associates, with the SDM Sadar and the SDM, Tirwa, conducting investigations through revenue officials.
Information is also being gathered about properties located in various cities outside the district. Nawab Singh has assets worth several crores, the investigation has revealed.
SDM, Sadar, Ramkesh Singh has formed a team led by naib tehsildar Himanshu Prabhakar to compile a list of his assets. SDM Singh said due to adverse weather conditions, several revenue officials are unable to conduct physical verifications at the sites.
Meanwhile, SP, Kannauj, Amit Kumar Anand said Nawab Singh’s brother Neelu Yadav made a bid to influence the rape investigation by attempting to bribe the rape survivor’s aunt.
He said no one will be spared in this connection. After her arrest on Wednesday, the aunt of the rape survivor had levelled serious allegations against Neelu.