SIT to probe fraud charges against Cong leader's brother

The Uttarakhanad police has formed an SIT to probe into the allegations of blackmailing and fraud against senior Congress leader Kishore Upadhaya's younger brother Sachin.

The SIT headed by Dalanwala Circle Officer Jaya Baloni has been asked to look into the facts of the case and dispose it of strictly on merit, Garhwal range Inspector General of Police Ajay Rautela said in an order on July 19.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had directed authorities last month to set up a Special Investigation Team to probe into the allegations against the Congress leader's brother on a complaint by a builder.

The chief minister had ordered the probe in view of the seriousness of charges, said officials.

Builder Mukesh Joshi had approached the chief minister accusing Sachin, his former business partner, of transferring 50 per cent of his shares in a joint venture firm to his (Sachin's) wife after forging his signatures.

The joint venture firm was named SM Hospitality Pvt Ltd.

Joshi also accused Sachin of blackmailing him and apprehended threat to his life owing to the political clout of his former business partner's brother.

Kishore Upadhaya was earlier president of the Pradesh Congress Committee.

In his petition to the chief minister, Joshi, who had introduced himself as an investor currently building 2180 flats under the PM Awas Yojana at Chalang village near Rajpur in Dehradun, had sought an impartial probe into the matter.