Lucknow, January 6: In a major embarrassment for chief minister Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested the personal secretaries of three state ministers on charges of corruption and bribery. A sting operation conducted by a TV channel showed the accused personal secretaries seeking bribes against favours like transfers, swinging contracts in their favour.

"The personal secretaries of three UP ministers who were caught in a sting taking a bribe have now been arrested and sent to judicial custody. All angles are being probed," Lucknow Additional Director General of Police Rajiv Krishna, who headed the SIT, told news agency ANI on Sunday. CM Adityanath ordered a probe into allegations and suspended the three secretariat employees. Gau Kalyan Cess Imposed by Yogi Adityanath Led UP Government to Protect Stray Cow, Alcohol Prices May Rise.

In the sting operation conducted by ABP News, Om Prakash Kashyap, personal secretary of backward welfare minister Om Prakash Rajbhar is shown allegedly seeking Rs 40 lakh for a transfer. There are also alleged recordings of the secretariat staff assuring the reporter posing as a contractor that a school bag and uniform contract would be swung in his favour and for the deal, talks will be held with the husband of minister of state for basic education Anupama Jaiswal. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Instructs Officials to 'Ensure Shelter for Stray Cows'.

The secretary of the minister is shown seeking a commission in the tender of socks and shoes. The minister who is from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has clarified that he has nothing to do with the whole incident and has asked the principal secretary of his department to order a probe into the whole issue. In the same sting operation, secretary of MoS (Mining) Archana Pandey, is shown striking a deal with the reporter for getting him mining contracts in about half-a-dozen districts.

The secretary SP Tripathi will be investigated by a special investigation team (SIT), the minister said adding that stringent action will be taken against her PS. Santosh Awasthi, personal secretary to the MoS Basic Education, Sandeep Singh, is also seen in the sting operation "working out a deal" on a books contract and seeking his own cut in the deal. Sandeep Singh is the grandson of former UP chief minister and currently the Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh. (With agency inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 06, 2019 11:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).