FIR lodged, Amethi district officials suspended for graft

Lucknow: In Amethi, district social welfare officer Manoj Shukla and senior assistant Gokul Prasad Jaiswal were suspended on Friday following mutual accusations of corruption. The allegations, which surfaced in viral videos showing both officers publicly blaming each other, prompted action from the state govt.

The controversy caught the attention of social welfare minister (Independent charge) Asim Arun, who ordered an inquiry. A preliminary fact-finding probe found both officers prima facie guilty of corruption. A more detailed investigation is now underway to determine individual accountability.

The case originated from a written complaint submitted by Prasad to the minister, alleging that on Dec 26, 2024, Shukla forcibly snatched his mobile phone and coerced him into revealing his UPI password. Two suspicious transactions — Rs1 and Rs39,999 — were then made to an account belonging to Shukla's wife, Anju Shukla. Prasad provided printed copies of the transaction receipts as supporting evidence.

On Mar 14, the minister directed deputy director of social welfare of Ayodhya division, Rakesh Raman to conduct a probe. During the inquiry, two eyewitnesses — Eshwar Lal and Rajkumar — testified that they saw Shukla forcibly take Prasad's phone and demand the password.

Suspicion deepened when CCTV footage of Shukla's office from the day of the incident was found missing. Initially, Shukla claimed in a media interview that the money in question was collected by Prasad from a complainant in his name and returned through the transactions. Later, during the probe, he changed his stance and said the funds were a loan he gave to Prasad, which was repaid via UPI.

Shukla submitted sworn affidavits from several office staff to support his claim. However, during cross-examination, the staff stated they only heard about the incident and did not witness it directly. No documentation was found to corroborate the loan claim, according to the findings.

Based on reports dated Mar 20 and Mar 30, Raman concluded that the alleged act — snatching a mobile phone and coercively transferring money — amounts to criminal misconduct and corruption.

Following these findings, an FIR was registered at Gauriganj police station in Amethi on Raman's recommendation. Gauriganj SHO Shyam Narayan Pandey confirmed that an FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 309(4) (robbery), the information technology Act, and the prevention of corruption Act. Further investigation is in progress.