UP Minister accused of abduction quits,CMO surfaces soon after

CMO S P Singh, who was "untraceable" since Monday night, reported at his office this evening and had a meeting with the officials of the district administration and police, sources in the CMO office said in Gonda, a day after the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a high-level inquiry into his alleged abduction.

Under fire for allegedly abducting the the medical officer, Minister of State for Revenue Vinod Kumar Singh alias Pandit Singh resigned from the council of ministers, claiming that he was innocent and the accusations were part fo a conspiracy to malign his image.

"I have sent my resignation to the Chief Minister as I am a devoted worker of SP...I think some people are trying to malign the image of the party taking my name and I don't want this to happen," Vinod said.

Sources in the government said Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav had taken strong note of the media reports in this regard.

According to the reports, the CMO was allegedly abducted by the Minister as he was "unhappy" over the refusal to accommodate his nominees on the list of doctors on contract recruited by the district health department under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

The CMO later said that he has no complaint with the minister after his resignation.

He said that the Superintendent of Police met him in the evening and has assured full security and similar assurance has been given by the senior officials in Lucknow.

The CMO said that he was mentally upset after the incident and therefore has had gone to Lucknow.

Demanding a high-level independent probe into the case, the Minister had said an attempt was being made to malign his image. MORE