Cong alleges UP govt hand in Anant's abduction

Lucknow, Nov 18 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Congress today alleged that circumstantial evidence proved the state government had a hand behind the high-profile abduction of Adobe (India) CEO Naresh Gupta's three-year-old son Anant in Noida early this week.

''The statement of Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh that Anant's abduction was not related to law and order situation is an ample evidence to prove the hands of the state government in the crime,'' state Congress president Salman Khurshid said here.

Talking to reporters, he said in a way the police was trying to hush up the crime, and the contradictory statements by the police show there was 'political' involvement in the abduction.

''Congress is happy that Anant was released safe and healthy after almost five days in captivity, but the party is sure that some big fish's involved in the crime,'' he asserted.

The Congress leader also raised queries on how Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was so confident that Anant would be recovered soon, while the police stated it was still clueless.

''Police statements should be scanned as why they were repeatedly saying no politican was involved in the kidnapping.'' Commenting on the demand for President's Rule in UP, Mr Khurshid said it was up to the Centre to decide and his only target is to create mass base for the party in the coming assembly polls.

He also denied that party leaders would meet president APJ Abdul Kalam over the law and order situation in the state ''We have full faith in the governor and he is the representative of the President,'' he observed. The Congress leader also said his party was well prepared for the 2007 assembly polls and now it was up to the Election Commission (EC) to fix the date for it.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Rashid Alvi stressed the allegation of Mr Khurshid, putting blame on the state government in the kidnapping of Anant.

''The party can come out with several evidence to prove the Samajwadi Party government was behind the kidnapping,'' he claimed.

UNI MB VS PA MIR KP1955