The Uttar Pradesh Police have launched a preliminary inquiry into allegations that state minister Rakesh Sachan fled from a courtroom in Kanpur after being convicted in an Arms Act case.
The police are looking into whether Sachan disappeared from the courtroom without furnishing a bail bond in the case, PTI reported.
Kanpur Police Commissioner BP Jogdand said that Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali) Ashok Kumar Singh will inquire into the allegations.
“There is much that needs to be examined,” Joint Commissioner of Police AP Tiwari said to reporters. “We have been trying to get in touch with all stakeholders. We are taking our enquiry forward. Once the enquiry is complete, we will proceed according to the law.”
The Kanpur Police confirmed late on Saturday night that a complaint had been received from officials of the court, but did not say whether the complaint has been converted into a police case against the minister, NDTV reports.
Meanwhile Sachan tweeted photos of him attending an official meeting in a neighbouring district last night and today claimed the allegations against him were false and politically motivated.
“I have never run away in my life. These are all baseless cases against me. I reached the court a little before 11 am and requested for the case to be expedited since I had other engagements. The lawyer said it would take time and I requested him to put in an exemption application. I then left. I was at a function then for four hours and also attended other engagements. I then started hearing these allegations,” he told reporters in Kanpur today.
“Let the CCTV footage in the court be examined. I will go to court tomorrow and present my side of the story through my lawyers,” Sachan added.
The Samajwadi Party alleged that Sachan was hiding at his home, but the police did not dare to take him into custody.
“If this had been an Opposition leader, then a bulldozer would have been used,” the party said.
