Thaindian News

Lucknow, Sep 5 (IANS) Jailed former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi, who had managed to spend three months out of prison under the pretext of “illness”, was on Monday sent back to jail, a police officer said.

Undergoing a life term, Tripathi was convicted for the murder of Hindi poetess Madhumita Shukla after she refused to abort her pregnancy caused by him.

Madhumita, 26, was gunned down in cold blood in her two-room apartment in Lucknow’s Paper Mill colony May 9, 2003. Six months pregnant at the time of her murder, a DNA test confirmed her to be carrying Amarmani Tripathi’s illegitimate child.

According to Special Director General of police Brij Lal, Tripathi had been faking illness for three months.

“About three months back, he was granted permission to attend his mother’s funeral, where he suddenly fainted. He was rushed to the Gorakhpur Medical College, where he spent about two months,” Brij Lal said.

“When the attention of police was drawn to his prolonged hospital stay, Tripathi swiftly managed to get referred for Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, sometime last month. But finding nothing serious, doctors at SGPGIMS discharged him . However, he managed to get a transfer to Benaras Hindu University (BHU) Medical College,” he said.

It was then police realized that Tripathi had been faking his illness, following which he was sent to Varanasi jail Monday afternoon.

“We have not only got him sent to the Varanasi central jail, but disciplinary action has also been ordered against one sub-inspector and four constables for helping the convicted former minister to fake his illness and escape jail for three long months,” said Lal.

“We also propose to recommend a departmental probe against the doctors who were responsible for providing tailor-made medical reports to enable Tripathi to enjoy a relaxed life in hospitals,” he added.