Nearly two months after he vacated the official bungalow allocated to him on account of being a former chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav is facing more trouble over allegations of damaging the building. Yadav may get a notice from the Estate Department of the government for the damage caused to his official bungalow during his stay there.
The state government had allotted Yadav an official bungalow when he ceased to be chief minister after the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in 2017. When the Supreme Court in May asked former chief ministers to vacate their bungalows, Yadav along with other former chief ministers, vacated their accommodations.
After Yadav left, when state government officials took over the bungalow, they reportedly found damage to the property amounting to Rs 5.84 lakh. Subsequently, in its report, the Estate Department alleged that illegal construction amounting to Rs 4 crore was done at the premises.
The Estate Department sent its report to the chief minister's office and Yadav may be asked to pay compensation for the damage.
When pictures of the damaged bungalow went viral, it caused a great hue and cry in political circles in Uttar Pradesh. Soon, mudslinging started between the BJP government and SP leaders.
Reacting to damage claims, UP Minister Siddarth Nath Singh said it is clear that in the bungalow allotted to Yadav, a lot of construction work had been done and permission was not taken from the department concerned for the same. “There is a law in this connection and it will take its own course,” he added.
SP national secretary and spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said the BJP was showing its parochial mentality by raking up this issue again and again. “Our national president Akhileshji has already made it clear that whatever damage has been done, it will be paid by him if the department concerned sends appropriate bills to him,” Chaudhary added.
Earlier, the Estate Department has got the matter probed by the Public Works Department. After this, the bungalow was examined for damage assessment and a report submitted to the chief minister.