CM orders probe into blackmailing charges against former PCC chief's brother

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has ordered a probe into a complaint that state's senior Congress leader Kishore Upadhaya's younger brother Sachin has duped and threatened his business partner.

Rawat ordered the probe by a special investigative team after Sachin's business partner Mukesh Joshi, owning joint venture firm SM Hospitality Pvt Ltd, lodged a complaint with the chief minister.

In his complaint, Joshi alleged that the Congress leader's brother has transferred his 50 per cent share in the firm to himself and his wife by forging his signature.

Joshi also accused Sachin of blackmailing him and cited a threat to his life as his brother Kishore had political clout.

Kishore Upadhaya was earlier president of the Pradesh Congress Committee.

The chief minister sent Joshi's complaint the state home secretary asking him to have the matter probed by the SIT as the allegations were of a serious nature.

"The charges are of a serious nature. Direct the officials concerned to institute an SIT probe into them," the chief minister's note to the home secretary read.

Seeking an impartial inquiry into the matter Joshi, in his complaint to the chief minister, introduced himself as an investor, currently building 2,180 flats under the PM Awas Yojana at Chalang village near Rajpur in Dehradun.