SP MLA ‘makes’ kin of slain jeweller leave state

The administration had,however,provided a security guard to Sonu after the murder of his father and brother. Sonu said he and his family,now in Rajasthan,would not return to Jaithra as long as the Samajwadi Party was in power in the state.

A gang of criminals had barged into the jewellery shop and shot dead Vijay Singh Verma,his son Mithun and private guard Santosh Yadav in the Sarrafa Market under Jaithra police station area.

The shooting was a sequel to the murder of gangster Munna Yadav,a resident of Jarari village,who was shot dead in the jeweller’s shop in January last year. The jeweller Vijay and his sons Yogesh and Sonu had been jailed. Vijay and Sonu were later released on bail,but Yogesh is still in jail.

The retaliatory attack on Verma’s shop was carried out allegedly by Munna’s brother Arvind Yadav and his associates. The police have since arrested 16 persons. Arvind was arrested in February after remaining absconding for several months. Sonu,his mother Poonam,his uncle Rajkumar Verma are among the witnesses in the case.

On August 10,Sonu,along with his wife,mother,sister and three brothers left the town for an undisclosed location. Talking to The Indian Express over the phone,Sonu said that MLA Yadav and his brother Jogendra,who is Etah zila panchayat chairperson,were threatening him not to pursue the case.

He said that he left the town after the MLA met him and also threatened him on the phone. Sonu said that some of the accused persons arrested in connection with his father’s murder were close to the MLA. Sonu also accused the MLA of using his influence with the police to invoke the Gangster Act against him and his brother Yogesh in connection with Munna’s murder.

Jaithra Station Officer Indresh Bhadauria said the Gangster Act had been invoked against Sonu and Yogesh after approval by the SSP and DM. Asked why this was done more than a year after Munna’s murder,Bhadauria said that since the Gangster Act had been invoked against five persons for Vijay’s murder,there was a demand that this should also be invoked against those accused of Munna’s murder as well.

Jasrathpur Station Officer CB Singh,who is investigating the Gangster Act case against Sonu and his brother,said the police had taken the warrant against them from the Special Judge(Gangster court),Etah,on August 21.

The MLA,who represents Aliganj Assembly seat,denied the allegations and said both murders were actually committed by men of former BSP minister Awadhpal Singh Yadav. He said that both Munna and Sonu’s families were involved in shady deals and the murders were a fallout of those deals.

Last year,Subodh Yadav,the MLA’s son,had filed a complaint with the UP Lokayukta against Awadhpal,then animal husbandry minister,alleging corruption. The charges were found correct and the minister had to resign.

Subodh had also submitted a video CD to the Lokayukta,allegedly showing Vijay’s family members accusing the former minister of killings. However,the family did not name the minister in their complaint to the police. Sonu also said Awadhpal had no role in the killings.