Akhilesh Yadav for action against MLA accused of getting journalist killed but Mulayam fears loss of votes: Sources

Lucknow: Pressure is mounting on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the murder of journalist Jagendra Singh in Shahjahanpur. The CM is holding a meeting with his close aides to decide if the accused minister Ram Murti Verma should be sacked.

According to sources, the Samajwadi Party is divided over the matter with the Akhilesh camp pressing for Verma's sacking. However, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav believe that the move could alienate the party's Kurmi vote bank.

"What happened to Jagendra is sad and we condemn it but he is not a journalist. He is someone who keeps sending people messages on social media. Ram Murti Verma has not done anything. Let a probe be ordered, if a CBI probe is required so be it. We are not afraid of any sort of probe as he is innocent," SP MLA Bhukal Nawab said.

The government may announce a CB-CID probe into the incident. A public interest litigation has been filed with the Allahabad High Court demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Other political parties too are stepping up the pressure on the state government. "This is a serious matter. Strict action should be taken. Law and order is in a bad shape in UP, it is painful to see the situation. He should be arrested otherwise proofs may be tampered," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mahesh Sharma said.

Singh's family has claimed that a police officer allegedly set the journalist on fire. He succumbed to his injuries while he was being taken to the hospital.

Singh had reportedly written about the MLA in newspapers accusing him of nefarious activities regarding illegal mining and forced occupation of land, etc. The charges are said to have angered the Samajwadi Party leader. He also allegedly implicated Jagendra Singh in a false case.

However, the police has maintained that Singh committed suicide. "There was a case against Jagendra Singh. We tried to arrest him but he committed suicide," SP, Shahjahanpur said.

An FIR was registered against minister for Backward Classes Welfare Ram Murti Verma, Inspector (Chowk) Sri Prakash Rai, Gufran, Akash Gupta, Amit Pratap Singh and Bhure for killing Jagendra by setting him afire.

The FIR was registered at Puwayan police station of Shahjahanpur by victim's son Raghvendra after his father died during treatment at a hospital here on June 8.