LUCKNOW, Oct 5: A high-level probe has put Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Minister Ram Kewal Chaudhury in the dock for lodging a fake murder report in a bid to embarrass Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.The inquiry conducted by IG (Special Inquiries) J S Gungesh into the alleged murder of a Dalit youth, Bal Krishan, in Faizabad district, revealed that it was a rather straightforward case of drowning - a fact confirmed by the postmortem report.Twenty one-year-old Bal Krishan drowned in a pond near Taunia village on September 24. His family members informed the police in writing about his death requesting a speedy inquest so that the last rites could be performed. Since he belonged to the Kabir sect, Bal Krishan's body was buried. However, no post-mortem was conducted.Later, BSP leader Usha Rawat, after a visit to the village, claimed it was a case of murder. She took up the matter with BSP minister R K Chaudhury, who in turn, took the police officials to task for trying to ``hush up'' the case. He blamed them for trying to pass off a murder case as an accident simply ``because the deceased was a Dalit''. He claimed that the police, emboldened by the Government Order issued by Chief Minister Kalyan Singh to prevent misuse of the Prevention of Atrocities on SC/ST Act, had deliberately toned down the incident.An FIR alleging suspected murder was registered on September 29. The body was exhumed five days after the burial and a postmortem conducted. The IG, Gungesh, himself a Dalit officer, has reportedly submitted his preliminary inquiry report to the Government terming Bal Krishan's death as the result of an accident and not intentional murder as Chaudhury had claimed.
