Govt assigns arson case to Crime Branch

The government’s decision came a day after Union Minister of Coal Sri Prakash Jaiswal visited Joshi’s house and demanded a CBI probe.

The Congress has alleged that some BSP leaders,including MLA Jitendra Singh Babloo,were involved in the incident.

Announcing the government’s decision,Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said: “The Opposition has demanded an impartial probe into the incident. It will hence be investigated by the CB-CID.” “The government will take strict action against the guilty,whether they belong to the BSP or the Congress,” he said,adding that the BSP government had taken action against its own MLAs and MPs in the past.

The Congress rejected the government’s move and stuck to its demand for a CBI investigation.

“The government wants to save the erring police officers and BSP leaders involved in the case,” said UPCC media cell in-charge Vivek Kumar Singh.