Gayatri Prajapati's illegal building razed

Lucknow, June 17 (IANS) An illegal building owned by former Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati, who is currently in jail over ***** charges, was demolished in the state capital on Saturday.

Many norms were flouted in the construction of the building, officials said.

The Allahabad High Court had earlier ordered the building's demolition but the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) dragged its feet out of fear of the once-powerful Minister. The LDA sprung into action after a recent rap by the court over the delay.

Three bulldozers of the LDA went to the multi-storeyed building at Saleh Nagar in Aashiana on Saturday around noon and brought it down. There was no protest from anyone in the locality over the demolition, an official told IANS.

Several armed police officers had accompanied the squad fearing that locals and Prajapati supporters might create a ruckus.

Prajapati was one of the most powerful ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet and is currently in jail over charges of a ***** and intimidation of the survivor.

He is also being probed by the CBI over illegal mining charges.