Probe Launched Against UP Official Who Failed To Recognise Smriti Irani Over Phone

A probe has been ordered against a UP official for not discharging his duties after he failed to recognise Amethi MP and Union minister Smriti Irani over phone, officials said on Monday.

UP official got the call after a civil complaint

The incident happened after a resident of Amethi's Poore Pahalwan village under Musafirkhana tehsil had on August 27 given a complaint letter to Irani saying that after the death of his father, who was a teacher, his mother Savitri Devi is entitled for pension, whose verification has not been done by lekhpal Deepak.

BCCL

The complainant, Karunesh (27), further said due to which his mother is not able to get the pension. Following the complaint, Irani, Union Minister of Women and Child Development, phoned the lekhpal, but he could not recognise her.

Then, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) took the phone from the minister, and told the lekhpal to meet him at the office.

A lekhpal and his duties

A lekhpal is a clerical Government post in Uttar Pradesh, India, Formerly known as Patwari. The duties are to maintain village revenue account and village land records. They are basically the village accountant officers in the revenue administration at the village level.

CDO of Amethi Ankur Lathar on Monday told PTI that as per the letter of Karunesh, it is a case of laxity on the part of the officer, and he has not discharged his duties. The lekhpal is posted at Gautampur gram sabha under Musafirkhana tehsil.

Instagram/Smriti Irani

Lathar said that sub-divisional magistrate Musafirkhana has been asked to probe the matter, following which action will be taken.

Similar incident in Assam

This comes just days after Assam MLA Jayanta Basumatary courted controversy by assaulting an employee of the state government at the Secretariat.

The incident occurred on Wednesday when the MLA visited the Secretariat to meet Transport Secretary Adil Khan. He lost his cool and slapped junior assistant, Bibhuti Bhattacharya, after the latter asked him to fill up the visitors¡¯ slip before letting him in.

MLA Jayanta Basumatary

¡°I couldn¡¯t recognise him and requested him to fill up the visitors¡¯ slip. He identified himself and said an MLA is not required to do this formality. I said this is the government protocol but he got angry and slapped me,¡± the victim said.

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