UP Assembly principal secretary resigns over abetting charges

Lucknow, July 30 (UNI) After charges of abetting suicide by an employee, Uttar Pradesh Assemly Principal Secretary Rajendra Prasad Pandey has resigned his post.

Now, Secretary Parliamentary Affairs Pradeep Dubey has taken charge in place of Mr Pandey.

Mr Pandey resigned last night after an FIR under SC/ST Act was registered here against him and two other assembly employees, following the death of an Upper Division Clerk (UDC) Subedar, who consumed a poisonous substance on Friday last.

According to official sources here today, Mr Pradeep Dubey has taken the charge of Mr Pandey till further orders. Mr Dubey already holds the post of legal advisor of UP Governor T V Rajeswar.

Mr Pandey, who retired from service on November 2007, was on one year extention, which was to expire in December next.

With the resignation of the Assembly Principal Secretary, now police seem to have gone ahead with the probe in the suicide of the Dalit assembly employee and the accused could be arrested also.

As per the FIR, the family members of the deceased blamed the Principal secretary, section officer Madhubala Srivastava and one Dev Narain Singh for abetting Subedar, who was passing through mental tension, for the suicide. They charged the Principal secretary with scolding the deceased after which he consumed poison.

UNI MB JAS RL RAI1341