Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Raking up the alleged slackness of UP police, a Samajwadi Party MLA created an unusual scene in state Assembly when he started weeping on Monday while claiming that he was robbed of Rs 10 lakh and that police were not registering an FIR despite his repeated efforts in that connection.

While narrating the incident, Kalpnath Paswan, SP MLA from Mehnagar constituency in Azamgarh, claimed that he was a poor farmer and no where else to go. "I have lost Rs 10 lakh from a hotel in Azamgarh and district police officials are not paying heed to my repeated pleas to register a case in this regard for the last one month," he said with folded hands.

While pleading in the house, Paswan broke down and kept sobbing for quite some time. -"I am pleading with folded hands in the House. If I do not get justice from here. I will die...I am a very poor person...If my money is not recovered within 15 days I will commit self immolation,-" Paswan said while raising the matter during Zero hour.

"It's over a month now. I am tired of approaching the police authorities," said the MLA adding: "If I am suffering because of Police inaction despite being an MLA, one can imagine the plight of common man." Seeking intervention of the government and help recover his money, Paswan petitioned Assembly Speaker HN Dixit seeking justice or else he would end his life.

"Today I am weeping in the house, tomorrow the entire house would weep," said Paswan. He added that he had withdrawn the money on January 7 from his account in Lucknow as he had to construct his house. He claimed that from Lucknow he went to Azamgarh.

"In Azamgarh I was sitting with my supporters in a hotel with the briefcase of money kept beside me," he said.

Paswan claimed after finishing the tea when he got up to go he found his briefcase a bit lighter. On opening it, he allegedly found the money missing.

He said went to police station but his FIR was not lodged. HE said he approached the Superintendent of Police who got a probe done but did not get the FIR lodged.

Replying to him, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said he would seek a report and ensure justice to the beleaguered legislator.-"If he wants to register FIR, it will be registered,-" he said, adding when the MLA approached him, he had directed Home department and officers concerned to work out the case