UP mantri accused of beating up driver

Lucknow: UP minister for stamp and registration Nand Gopal Nandi has been accused of beating up his official driver.

Though the minister denies the incident, the driver’s association not only staged a demonstration at the minister’s residence, but has also said that no driver will work with the minister unless he apologises for the incident.

According to reports, the minister’s driver, Arjun Singh Kushwaha, was allegedly slapped twice by the minister late on Monday evening.

The driver immediately reported the matter to Satish Sharma, the president of the driver’s association, who collected his co-workers and reached the minister’s residence to stage the demonstration. The police was called in to disperse the crowd.

Mr Kushwaha said that he had been asked by officials not to go to Phulpur where byelections are being held since it would be a violation of the model code of conduct, but the minister was pressurising him to drive to Phulpur.

“When I refused, the minister slapped me twice and pulled my hair,” he said.