Being selected as an MLA,
continuously for 5 times in a row, he stands as an undefeated persona in the
political arena of Uttar Pradesh. Born in the royal family of His Highness
Bajrang Bahadur Singh from his son, His
Highness Uday Pratap Singh, he relishes the honor of being acknowledged as the Raja
of his birthplace, currently also his election constituency, Kunda Pratapgarh
Uttar Pradesh. Use of man and muscle power has been his well-known signature
style and alike many previous cases he yet finds himself into the tangled web
of allegations and accusations.
Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a Raja
bhaiya, is the man who yet succeeds in registering his name and identity in
headlines and shutterbugs. This time the latest controversy, increasing the
count to a total of 9, lands him into cobwebs of allegations of murder of
Deputy Superintendent of Police Ziya ul Haque. The allegations are put by the
deceased DSP’s wife, Parveed Azaad, who demands rigorous CBI probe into the
case and justice be granted to her husband’s death.
The entire story started with a
land dispute between two communities, namely Pal and Yadavs in the Balipur
village (Ballia district, UP). Nanhe Lal Yadav, Pradhan of Balipur went to a tea
stall on March 2 2013 where a small gang of the Pal community attacked him. He
was dragged to main road and shot in broad day light causing him on the spot
death. This produced a heavy commotion in the area, and in retaliation from
Yadavs, Nanhe’s brother Suresh Yadav got shot and killed as well. These events
created a very tensed atmosphere in the village. DSP Ziya ul Haque accompanied
by Hathigawa area’s SHO manoj Shukla approached the crime scene to monitor the
situation. The agitated crowd however moved out of control and surrounded the
officers, snatching them from their service revolvers and shot the DSP.
Although such is the known story
behind the DSP’s murder but many accuse Raja Bhaiya’s appointed men of
committing the act, considering his disturbed concord with the DSP. Parveen has
named the involvement of Gulashan Yadav (Chairman Kunda contituency), Rohit
Singh, Hariom Srivastava and Sanjay Pratap Singh alias Guddu Singh (Raja
Bhaiya’s driver) in her husband’s assassination. Guddu Singh, the main accused
is currently being questioned by the CBI.
Being accused 8 times earlier for
intense accusations such as attempt to murder and loot Raja Bhaiya faces IPC
120B for planning criminal conspiracy. He has resigned from his post of Food
and Supplies minister after the allegations. Ironic is the fact that previously
to being the Food and Supplies ministry he served as the Prison minister in
2007. It is sad that a man accused of allegedly kidnapping the opposition
candidate in a mere Panchayati Raj Election and one who is a regular
recipient of prisons is given the charge of prison ministry. It however
provides the scope to ordinary public to state that the man is well acquainted
with prisons and thus would perform effective in handling its ministry as well.
Although CBI is probing the case
but Raja Bhaiya stands against the odds and there are chances that he walk free
with respect yet again. In a press conference he denies the charges as he
speaks that he would have easily got the DSP transferred, had he been facing
such immediate issues with his presence rather than getting him murdered. His
statement clearly signifies how proudly he uses/misuse his power to select or
remove officers as per his flexibility and requirement.
Raja Bhaiya has always been in
headlines during Samajwadi Party’s reign in UP. Stories of his love towards
animals and his pet alligators, who he feeds on his offenders have been famous.
However Mayawati, UP’s ex-CM, takes the credit for controlling Raja Bhaiya’s activities
and placing him in jail. She even put POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) on him
and declared him a terrorist when she dragged him to jail from his home at the
late hours of 3:00 am, back in November 2002.
However
beyond all allegations and accusations he yet stands staunch as the Dabangg
Raja of Kunda. Let’s wait for the probe to finish and anticipate for justice to
all.
Yognik
Baghel
5th
April 2013
References:
