Click to play videoNew Delhi: A suspect in the murder of a UP government engineer has alleged that Manoj Kumar Gupta was beaten up for money to celebrate Chief Minister Mayawati’s birthday.
“Gupta was asked to pay money—not Rs 50 lakh but for Rs 50,000,” said N K Tyagi, an engineer with the Public Works Department (PWD).
State opposition parties allege asserted Gupta, a PWD engineer, was killed in Auraiya district on Wednesday by BSP legislator Shekhar Tiwari and his supporters after the officer refused to contribute Rs 50 lakh for Mayawati’s birthday celebration.
Mayawati has rejected the allegation and on Thursday claimed Tyagi’s death was related to bribery. "Preliminary investigations have revealed that the murder was the result of some kind of professional tussle and underhand money," she said in Lucknow.
"The allegation that my party MLA was indulging in extortion to collect money for my birthday celebrations is absolutely false and baseless," she said.
Mayawati refused to accede to demand for handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation but promised Tiwari “will not be spared under any circumstances" if found guilty of assaulting Gupta.
Gupta's murder galvanized the Opposition, particularly the Samajwadi Party, a bitter critic of Mayawati. Opposition workers stopped trains and blocked roads in many places on Thursday to enforce their bandh (shutdown).
SP workers torched the offices of the Sub-Collector and the Superintendent of Police in Auraiya. The party says it will celebrate Mayawati’s birthday on January 15 as thu thu diwas (shame day). SP General Secretary Amar Singh demanded that Mayawati resign.
An autopsy report says Gupta had at least 32 injuries and was probably tortured as there were electrocution marks on his body.
A court in Auraiya Thursday remanded Tiwari to judicial custody till January 7.
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