UP: SP candidate booked for ‘setting up’ friend as BSP candidate

A complaint of cheating has been filed against Aonla’s SP candidate Neeraj Maurya and his ‘friend’ that he is accused of attempting to put up on a BSP ticket.

BSP District President Rajiv Kumar Singh lodged a complaint against Maurya and the ‘fake candidate’ Satveer Singh for “forging party President Mayawati’s signature on the nomination form.”

The duo has been booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged documents as genuine), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

Confusion arose in the Aonla seat a few days ago as two individuals — Abid Ali and Satveer — submitted their nomination forms on BSP’s symbol, both claiming to be the party’s “official choice”.

Later, Mayawati clarified that Ali was the BSP candidate. It appeared that the SP candidate was ‘setting up’ his friend as the BSP candidate with the intention of later manipulating the situation to his advantage.