Journalist death: BJP slams Akhilesh Govt. for defending minister

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government for defending state minister Ram Murti Singh Verma, who is an accused in the murder case of Shahjahanpur-based journalist Jagendra Singh.

BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that the state government was trying to protect Verma instead of following the rule of law.

"The incident had happened on June 1. He died on June 8. And on June 13, an order for suspension has come. Is suspension some kind of a punishment? Once again a minister is being protected. The government is trying to protect its minister instead of following the rule of law," BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak told ANI here.

 

"How long will the government stand in favour of the accused? It is because of this reason that the law in the state has gone down. There was a dying declaration of the journalist that the policemen were involved in the crime...... These policemen should be arrested and sent to jail," he added.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has suspended five policemen for their alleged role in the killing of the journalist.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik had earlier asked Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to take all necessary action in relation to the murder case.

Reportedly, Jagendra was set ablaze by Verma's henchmen and some police officials on June 1. Singh succumbed to his burn injuries in a Lucknow hospital a week later.

Jagendra's father has demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

Shahjahanpur Police earlier registered a criminal FIR against eight persons, including the minister, in connection with the case.

No arrests have, however, been made so far.