Akhilesh minister's illegal commercial building razed

The Lucknow Development Authority on Saturday demolished a three-storey commercial building of controversial former Cabinet Minister Gayatari Prajapati on the directions of the Allahabad High Court.

LDA Vice-Chairman PN Singh said the building was being built on a piece of land forcibly grabbed by the former minister and no sanction was taken from the authority for construction of a commercial building on it.

Prajapati is currently behind bars on charges of gang-rape along with six of his associates. His son had approached the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court seeking a stay on demolition of the building.

A Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on June 15 had rejected the plea of his son and had directed the LDA to demolish the illegal structure within four days of passing the order. Acting on the court's order, the LDA pulled down the former minister's illegal structure on Saturday.