UP minister accused of pressuring sugar mill for contracts, denies charge

The chief manager of L H Sugar Factories Limited in Pilibhit on Thursday alleged that Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Singh Gangwar was putting pressure on him for awarding contracts according to his wishes, a charge denied by the minister.

Gangwar, the Minister of State for Sugarcane Development and Sugar Mills, said it was a drama to influence an ongoing investigation into a scam worth crores of rupees by the company, and added he would file a defamation case against the chief manager, K B Sharma.

Addressing a press conference, Sharma alleged that the minister humiliated him and issued death threats after his wishes for awarding contracts were not met.

He also alleged that the minister dragged him by his shirt collar and added, ''Not just me other workers of the factory are also feeling frightened.'' Rejecting the allegations, the minister said everyone knows that the mill management has committed a pesticide scam worth crores of rupees.

''When people complained to me about the scam, I informed the government and an investigation started. Now this drama is being done to influence that investigation,'' Gangwar, who represents Pilibhit in the Assembly, said.