The minister denies any wrongdoing, blaming the Sarees on his 'opponents'.

A controversial minister in Uttar Pradesh faces a police case after about 5,000 sarees in 80 cartons were seized during checks in Fatehpur ahead of elections in the state from February 4. The sarees were found in a truck that was travelling from Kanpur to minister Gayatri Prajapati's home turf Amethi.The truck driver and helper had bills for the sarees in the name of the minister, but no explanation for why such a huge consignment was being delivered.The minister denies any wrongdoing, blaming the Sarees on his "opponents"."This is a ploy by my opponents. I totally support an enquiry into this. I will write a letter to the election commission myself asking for a detailed investigation," he told reporters on Thursday.Gayatri Prajapati was sacked from the cabinet in September by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. As the state mining minister he was accused of massive corruption. In July, the Allahabad High Court directed the CBI to investigate illegal mining across the state.Two months after his sacking, Gayatri Prajapati - believed to be extremely close to Akhilesh Yadav's estranged father Mulayam Singh Yadav - was reinstated. This time, he was handed the transport department.Mulayam Singh has praised Mr Prajapati at public forums multiple times.The police said they were surprised to discover the massive consignment of Sarees billed to the minister."We were checking trucks on the border of Fatehpur district, and we stopped this truck heading towards Amethi and recovered about 80 cartons. We were surprised to find that the bills for the Sarees were in the name of Mr Prajapati. The truck driver and helper couldn't explain,"said Balikaran Singh Yadav, a senior police officer."On the orders of the district administration and the Election Commission, we have filed an FIR and we will investigate further. If required, we will question the merchants and the minister too,"Mr Yadav added.

Freebies like food, clothes, liquor and even cash are generously doled out in poll season and are often exposed during raids by poll teams and police."There is blatant violation of the model code of conduct by the ruling Samajwadi Party. The loot presided over by the party in power in the last five years is now being reflected in how leaders like Prajapati are trying to use the same money to entice voters," said Vijay Bahadur Pathak, a senior BJP leader.