Akhilesh assures action against guilty in DSP murder case

Facing strident demands for the arrest of Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya booked in the DSP murder case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday promised to take action against those found guilty.

The state government's stand was outlined by Akhilesh even as Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati stepped up her attack on arch-rival SP accusing it of trying to shield Raja Bhaiya, who resigned after he was booked for criminal conspiracy in the murder of DSP Zia-ul-Haq in mob violence in Pratapgarh on Saturday.

Describing the killings of the police officer and a village head as "very tragic", the chief minister said things would be clear only after completion of the CBI inquiry for which the state government will fully cooperate. The state government has already recommended a CBI probe.

"A proper enquiry is happening. In that everything will come out. If there is any conspiracy done by anybody it will come out," the chief minister told reporters after visiting the family of the slain village head Nanhe Yadav in Kunda in Pratapgarh district.

"Action would be taken against those policemen who fled away from the scene....those who showed weakness. Action would be taken against those found guilty," said Akhilesh.

To a question whether Raja Bhaiya would be arrested, UP Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan, who accompanied the chief minister, said, "Wait for a while".

As the UP police struggled for a breakthrough in the killings, Mayawati, a former chief minister, said Raja Bhaiya moving around scot free would weaken the DSP murder case.

"The SP government was trying to shield the former minister. Otherwise he (Raja Bhaiya) would have been arrested by now. Till date he has not been arrested," Mayawati told reporters in New Delhi.

Terming as a "heinous crime" the killing of Zia, the Centre has asked the UP government to submit a report into the incident and ensure strict action against culprits.

Zia was killed by a mob in Pratapgarh when he had rushed there after a village head was shot dead over a land dispute. The slain officer's wife has alleged that Raja Bhaiya had a hand in the attack.

Opposition parties in UP pressed for the demand of immediate arrest of the killers and disrupted proceedings in the Assembly by trooping leading to adjournment of Question Hour.