UP: BJP MP, MLA accused of misbehaving with officials

BJP MLA Kesar Singh and MP Priyanka Rawat have been accused of misbehaving with officials in UP, police said today.
Singh, the BJP MLA from Nawabganj in Bareilly district, allegedly thrashed and kept hostage a bank manager, while Rawat, the party's MP from Barabanki, has been accused of threatening an ASP during a press conference yesterday.
The manager of Dalernager branch of Baroda Gramin Bank Harish Singh lodged a complaint at Nawabganj police station, alleging that Singh arrived in his office along with his supporters yesterday to enquire about a farmer's bank account, police said.
The MLA then allegedly thrashed the manager, and took him to an undisclosed destination where he was kept hostage for one hour and allowed to go only after being given a written assurance to make the payment related to the bank account.

Singh, however refuted the allegations of assault, saying he had only gone to inquire after people of the area complained that they were facing problems due to laxity by the bank staff.
The manager also claimed that he could not contact anyone as his mobile phone was also confiscated by Singh.

DIG Ashutosh Kumar termed the incident as serious and said the matter is being investigated and if required, an FIR will be filed against the BJP lawmaker.
Meanwhile, the staff from over a dozen branches in the district strongly protested against the incident and some of them also downed their shutters today.

In Barabanki, local MP Rawat allegedly used foul language against ASP Kunwar Gyananjay Singh during a press conference yesterday, saying she would make him pay for all the clout he enjoyed during the previous SP government.
Alleging that Singh was shielding a murder accused, Rawat threatened to make him pay for the arbitrary manner in which he worked and indulged in property dealing during the previous regime.
SP Vaibhav Krishna said the video of the press conference is being examined and if necessary, an FIR will lodged against the MP.
Rawat also said the situation has now changed and officials who do not bring a change in their working manner will be pulled up.

The incidents come on close on the heels of charges against BJP's Saharanpur Raghav Lakhanpal that he had indulged in violence in a village and vandalised the residence of the area's SSP.