Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is facing a Rs 10-lakh fine for damages caused to the official bungalow at Vikramaditya Marg as per a report by the Estate Department of Uttar Pradesh.
The report comes after Yadav was found to have left the residence in shambles with damaged bathroom fittings, tiles and missing water taps amongst others. Following the revelation, UP Governor Ram Naik instructed the incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take action against Yadav.
The Estate Department was called in to conduct an audit and has forwarded the 266-page report to the CM's office, where it has claimed a loss of Rs 10 lakh. It has recommended that the CM serve an official notice to the Samajwadi Party President to recover the money for repair.
The probe found severe damage to the wiring, swimming pool, bathroom fixtures and multiple broken tiles.
Yadav was forced to vacate the residence on June 8 after a Supreme Court order said that former Chief Ministers cannot retain government accommodation for a lifetime as it was in violation of the Right to Equality under Article 14. Yadav had refused to vacate the premises despite losing the elections.
The SP chief has hit back, rejecting any allegations against him and said that it was an attempt by the Yogi Adityanath government to tarnish his image and misguide the people of Uttar Pradesh. He went on to add that the BJP government was busy getting people to focus on petty issues like bungalows, rather than fixing larger problems of the state.
He, however, offered to buy whatever was missing from the bungalow and personally send it to Yogi Adityanath.
In July, Yadav attempted to return to Vikramaditya Marg by applying for an NOC to build a hotel-cum-residence on an 8,000 square feet plot in the area. However, with the Land Development Authority still to get back to him, the former CM has turned to renovating an old bungalow at 1A, Vikramaditya Marg. Owned by the wife of an MP from Kanauj, the bungalow will serve as Yadav's new residence once work is completed.
