UP CM Yogi seeks report on minister threatening cop

The BJP was left red-faced after an Uttar Pradesh minister was caught on tape threatening a senior police officer over the registration of an FIR against a real estate company accused of defrauding hundreds of investors.

Taking serious note of the matter, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday summoned the minister and sought an explanation from her, besides directing the state police chief to submit a report in this regard.

According to the sources, Swati Singh, who was the minister of state for women welfare, called the circle officer (CO) of Cantonment area Beenu Singh and reprimanded her for registering an FIR against Ansal Builders, which was accused of defrauding hundreds of investors in the state capital.

"There is instruction from above... no case should be lodged against the Ansals... the FIRs are fake," the minister was heard telling the cop in an audio clip, that went viral on the social networking sites.

The minister also asked the CO to drop the case against the builder, despite being told that the FIR had been registered after investigating the complaint lodged by a couple, who alleged that they were not given land by the company even after receiving the money.

As the alleged conversation found prominent display in the local media, a livid chief minister reportedly gave the minister a dressing down, sources said.

State DGP O P Singh was directed to submit a report in this regard, sources added.

Later, the staff of the minister "misbehaved" with the reporters, when they tried to speak to her after her meeting with the chief minister.