The Supreme Court today issued notice to Uttar Pradesh government on a petition challenging steps taken by the state to withdraw POTA charges against sitting MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya and two others, who are accused in many criminal cases. The bench comprising Justice S. Rajendra Babu and Justice G.P. Mathur asked the UP authorities to state as to why it was acting in a ‘‘lackadaisical’’ manner as to invoke POTA on one day and withdraw it later. Meanwhile, the mysterious disappearance of an important file relating to the POTA case against Raja Bhaiyya and two others from the Pratapgarh DM’s office has led to the stringent security measures at the designated POTA court here. District and POTA judge Shailendra Saxena directed officials of his court for tighter security arrangements in the court premises. He also directed that important files, carrying the chargesheet and other documents, be kept in safe custody to avoid any foul play. The district administration has deputed cops in and around the court for 24 hours, police said today. The POTA court here has been reminding the Pratapgarh district authorities to make available some files related with the case at the earliest but the orders were ignored.
