Vigilance has taken major action in the Jankipuram land scam. A case has been registered against Ambi Bisht, the mother of Women’s Commission Vice Chairperson Aparna Yadav and a former Lucknow Municipal Corporation officer. This includes five former officials of the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA). Vigilance has booked them under the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections related to criminal conspiracy.
Scam during the SP Government
This entire case is linked to the Priyadarshini Housing Scheme in Jankipuram. Complaints of irregularities in plot allotment and registration had been raised for a long time. In 2016, the state government handed over the investigation to Vigilance. At that time, Uttar Pradesh was under the Samajwadi Party (SP) government.
The investigation revealed that between 2010 and 2016, fake allotments of plots were made. Documents were tampered with, and the scheme’s rules were violated. This caused a financial loss to the state treasury. The scam was carried out by individuals close to those in power during the SP regime.
Connection with the Mulayam Family
Ambi Bisht is connected to one of UP’s most powerful political families. Her daughter, Aparna Bisht, is married to Prateek Yadav, the younger son of Samajwadi Party founder and former CM Mulayam Singh Yadav. Prateek is the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Sadhana Gupta. Because of this, Ambi Bisht’s link with the political family has long been a matter of discussion.
Ambi Bisht served in the Lucknow Municipal Corporation for nearly 25 years, holding important positions such as Zonal Officer. She faced several transfer orders, but each time they were cancelled. On one occasion, she even clashed with then Municipal Commissioner Ajay Dwivedi during a meeting. After this, her removal was recommended. Later, she was posted as Property Officer in the Lucknow Development Authority.
Exposed by Forensic Report
A forensic investigation confirmed that the signatures on the documents belonged to Ambi Bisht and other officials. The report was then sent to the state government. Following this, permission was sought to register a case. After receiving approval, Vigilance initiated action.
Officials Named in FIR
In the FIR lodged by Vigilance, the main accused is Ambi Bisht (then Property Officer). The other named officials are:
- Virendra Singh (then Section Officer)
- Devendra Singh Rathore (then Deputy Secretary)
- Suresh Vishnu Mahadane (then Senior Cost Accountant)
- Shailendra Kumar Gupta (then Junior Assistant)
They are accused of colluding to make fake property registrations and depriving eligible beneficiaries of their rightful claims.
Political Reactions Begin
The matter has now taken a political turn. Since the irregularities are said to have taken place during the SP government, the opposition is calling this action a political vendetta. The current government, however, claims the move ensures transparency and accountability.
What’s Next?
According to Vigilance officials, more names could surface as the investigation progresses. The department has said that complaints of genuine beneficiaries who were wronged will also be addressed. Additionally, strict legal action will be taken against the culprits.
This action has once again raised questions about the functioning of the Lucknow Development Authority. It has sparked debate on how individuals connected to powerful families managed to retain influence in administrative circles for decades.
