Controversial Uttar Pradesh politician Raghuraj Pratap Singh or 'Raja Bhaiya' today returned as a minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government, eight months after he was forced to resign over allegations that he was involved in the murder of a senior cop.
Raja Bhaiya was sworn in as a minister this morning, with Mulayam Singh Yadav, the chief of the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Chief Minister's father, making a rare appearance at the ceremony.
"All the criminal cases against me are politically motivated and are thanks to Mayawati," Raja Bhaiya told reporters after being sworn in. He added "The media had held me guilty in DSP murder case before any probe was started. Now that I have been given clean chit by the CBI, they should review their working."
He had recently been cleared by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the killing of Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia ul Haq in March.
The independent MLA from Kunda had been accused by the police officer's wife of plotting to murder the him.
Mr Haq was killed on March 2 in Pratapgarh district where he had gone to probe a village headman's murder. An angry mob reportedly cornered him, and eight policemen who were with him allegedly abandoned him. Three bullets were fired - one killed Mr Haque; the other two killed headman Nanhe Yadav's brother.
In August, the CBI filed a "technical" closure report in a Lucknow court, but asked the state government for a probe Raja Bhaiya's alleged role in getting arms licences for villagers, which the agency said were used for illegal activities.
Raja Bhaiya faces eight criminal cases, including those of attempt to murder, robbery and dacoity. His reinstatement is being seen as the ruling Samajwadi Party's political message to the Thakur community, ahead of polls due by May.
In the face of strong criticism for staging Raja Bhaiya's return to the political mainstream, the Samajwadi Party is said to be relying on the Kunda strongman to consolidate the Thakur voters in western Uttar Pradesh, where communal riots last month in Muzaffarnagar killed 50 people.
Raja Bhaiya was sworn in as a minister this morning, with Mulayam Singh Yadav, the chief of the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Chief Minister's father, making a rare appearance at the ceremony.
"All the criminal cases against me are politically motivated and are thanks to Mayawati," Raja Bhaiya told reporters after being sworn in. He added "The media had held me guilty in DSP murder case before any probe was started. Now that I have been given clean chit by the CBI, they should review their working."
He had recently been cleared by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the killing of Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia ul Haq in March.
The independent MLA from Kunda had been accused by the police officer's wife of plotting to murder the him.
Mr Haq was killed on March 2 in Pratapgarh district where he had gone to probe a village headman's murder. An angry mob reportedly cornered him, and eight policemen who were with him allegedly abandoned him. Three bullets were fired - one killed Mr Haque; the other two killed headman Nanhe Yadav's brother.
In August, the CBI filed a "technical" closure report in a Lucknow court, but asked the state government for a probe Raja Bhaiya's alleged role in getting arms licences for villagers, which the agency said were used for illegal activities.
Raja Bhaiya faces eight criminal cases, including those of attempt to murder, robbery and dacoity. His reinstatement is being seen as the ruling Samajwadi Party's political message to the Thakur community, ahead of polls due by May.
In the face of strong criticism for staging Raja Bhaiya's return to the political mainstream, the Samajwadi Party is said to be relying on the Kunda strongman to consolidate the Thakur voters in western Uttar Pradesh, where communal riots last month in Muzaffarnagar killed 50 people.
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