MP: Thief returns valuables stolen from temple with apology note

An MP-MLA court here has issued a contempt notice and ordered the arrest of an investigating officer in a case of violation of the model code of conduct pending against former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati.

Public prosecutor Kalika Prasad Mishra said the court issued the contempt notice to Sub-Inspector Hari Prasad Verma on Saturday and ordered his arrest.

Even after the issue of a warrant, Verma never appeared in the court to testify, he said, adding the next hearing of the matter would be on November 9.

Prajapati’s lawyer Santosh Pandey said that on January 28, 2012, during the assembly election nomination in Amethi, the former minister was accused of taking out a bicycle procession without permission.

A case of violation of the model code of conduct election was registered against him for this, Pandey said.

Constables Sanjay Kumar Yadav and Omprakash, who were on duty at the time, had appeared before the court and testified, but the investigating officer in the case did not.

Prajapati, currently serving a life sentence for rape, won the assembly election from Amethi as a Samajwadi Party candidate in 2012.