Five suspended in UP for seeking bribe for farm loan waiver

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh government has suspended five revenue department employees for seeking bribe for the farm loan waiver scheme launched by it.

Acting on reports claiming that state revenue officials (lekhpal) were seeking bribe for verification of loans in two districts, the four employees were suspended in Gonda while a trainee lekhpal was suspended in Mathura yesterday, a senior official said.

An FIR has been lodged against four lekhpals and a fair price shop owner in Gonda, he said.

Action in Gonda was taken on the basis of a complaint, he added.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had launched the "Rin Mochan Yojna" (loan waiver scheme) with distribution of certificates here.

Loan waiver of farmers was promised by the BJP in its assembly election manifesto.