Digvijay welcomes UP Lokayukta's recommendations against Nasimuddin Siddiqui

Lucknow, Feb 27 (ANI): Welcoming the probe recommended by Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta Justice (retired) N.K. Mehrotra against the state's Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Nasimuddin Siddiqui in connection with a disproportionate assets case, Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Monday raised questions whether chief minister Mayawati would take strict action against her cabinet colleague.

"The way honourable Lokayukta has prima facie found the probe against minister, Nasimuddin Siddique as correct, we respect and welcome the decision. The Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate his vast property spread across the world. A case should also be field against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act," he told the media here.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders of Uttar Pradesh met Governor B. L. Joshi here and delivered a memorandum urging him to expedite the probe process against Siddiqui.

"Nasimuddin Siddiqui should be immediately sacked from the cabinet and the honourable governor should initiate this action as it does not seem possible for Mayawati. If Siddique opens his mouth then the truth about Mayawati would be out in the open. The second demand was to urge the governor, to use his constitutional powers to initiate a central police probe into the matter," Ram Kishan Dwivedi, senior Congress leader.

"Thirdly, we requested the governor to use his powers to initiate action against Siddiqui and Mayawati, under whose leadership of five years corruption has constantly bred in the state. She has nurtured massive corruption in the state, in her rule of five years," he added.

The Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta had earlier on Wednesday recommended a probe by the CBI and ED against Siddiqui and his legislator wife Husna Siddiqui for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets against their known source of income and for indulging in large scale corruption.

This has come as a major setback to Mayawati, as Siddiqui is considered to be second-in-command in the Bahuja Samaj Party (BSP) and is also the prominent Muslim face of the party.

Siddiqui holds charge of 18 important departments including PWD, irrigation, housing, excise, family welfare and cooperatives. (ANI)