Pilibhit ADM transferred for filing criminal case against VHP functionary

PILIBHIT: Days after a case of forgery, extortion, criminal intimidation and assault was filed against a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary by Pilibhit additional district magistrate (finance and revenue) Ritu Punia, she was transferred and attached to Lucknow state headquarters.

Her transfer was confirmed by district magistrate Gyanendra Singh on Wednesday evening.Meanwhile, the officer on special duty at Mathura development authority, Prasoon Dwivedi, has been posted as the new ADM.The FIR against VHP regional organisation in-charge, Prince Gaur, was lodged at Pilibhit Kotwali police station on Nov 6 following a written complaint by Punia. In the complaint, he was charged with filing a fake written complaint to the commissioner of Bareilly division against Punia, with allegations of imposing excessive financial penalty in a stamp duty evasion matter, unauthorised execution of section 80 of UP revenue code, and intimidating a few persons linked with the development of a residential colony.Gaur was arrested on Nov 8 and sent to jail.Punia alleged that Gaur defamed her on fictitious grounds and demanded extortion money from her to withdraw his complaint.The matter was escalated after the VHP state organisation minister, Rajesh, reached Pilibhit on Nov 9 and warned the district administration of a massive stir if the legal proceedings against Gaur were not quashed. Rajesh also met the DM and SP on Nov 10 to reiterate that every Indian national has the right to file a complaint in any matter related to “injustice, corruption and flawed functioning of the govt machinery”.Following his visit, police diluted the FIR against Gaur by converting the non-bailable BNS sections into bailable ones. Consequently, Gaur was granted bail on Nov 11 and released from the district jail.