Cases against UP Minister may not be withdrawn

Kanpur, Sep 30 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government will not withdraw the two criminal cases registered against the state's MSME Minister Rakesh Sachan, Kanpur District Magistrate Vishakh G. Iyer announced.

The state government had earlier sought a report on 18 points from the district administration for withdrawal of all four cases against Sachan.

"The government sought a report on withdrawing four cases against MSME minister Rakesh Sachan. The prosecution and police have not recommended withdrawal in two cases and the entire report has been sent to the government," Iyer said.

The four cases against the Minister were pending with the special judge of the MP/MLA court.

In one case, Sachan was convicted by a lower court and he has appealed in the session court.

He was convicted in June this year and sentenced to one-year imprisonment along with a penalty of Rs 1,500 in a case involving possession of an illegal firearm.

Sachan was accused of running away along with the order file from the court and the judge had ordered lodging of an FIR with the Kotwali police.

Similarly, two cases were lodged with Gwaltoli police when he was a student leader at DAV College.

While the fourth case was lodged in 2007 after he was found possessing an illegal gun by the Kotwali police during a procession to file a nomination.

The prosecution in its report said there was a possibility of conviction in two cases while he had already been convicted in another case.

The report in the fourth case was yet to come, said officials.