A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), currently posted in Bhogaon, Mainpuri district, has been suspended following serious allegations of amassing benami properties worth over Rs 100 crore.
The action against Rishikant Shukla comes after the Kanpur Police SIT probing the Akhilesh Dubey case also initiated a vigilance investigation against Shukla. Akhilesh Dubey, a Kanpur-based lawyer, was arrested on charges of extortion, threatening, and fabricating legal cases, including a false POCSO case, against a BJP leader.
According to the SIT report, 12 properties registered in Shukla’s name have a combined market value of around Rs 92 crore. Documents for three additional properties could not be obtained; however, investigators were able to trace them through his PAN number, linking them directly to him.
The report further stated that Shukla served in Kanpur city from 1998 to 2009, during which he was allegedly close to lawyer Akhilesh Dubey and his gang, accused of extortion, land grabbing, and filing false cases.
However, Shukla has denied all charges, calling the allegations “baseless and politically motivated.” He began his career as an ASI in 1998, was promoted to the post of Inspector in 2006, and later became a DSP in Unnao before his current posting in Mainpuri.
SIT sources claim that Shukla, along with CO Santosh Singh and CO Vikas Pandey, had jointly set up a construction company with Dubey. The firm reportedly included Shukla’s wife, Prabha Shukla; Vikas Pandey’s brother, Pradeep Kumar Pandey; and Singh’s relative, Ashok Kumar Singh, alongside Dubey’s son, Akhil, and nephew, Satvik. The company is alleged to have been used to launder black money by investing it in construction and real estate projects.
Investigators allege that during their tenure in Kanpur, the three officers acted as close aides of Dubey, referred to locally as members of his “Saket Nagar Durbar.” Even after their transfers to other districts, they allegedly continued to collaborate with Dubey in multi-crore land deals.
The SIT has summoned all accused officers to record their statements as part of an ongoing investigation into Dubey’s alleged criminal network and its nexus with police officials.
Akhilesh Dubey, described as a lawyer who rarely appeared in court, is accused of running his own parallel court system from his office. He allegedly handled police investigation paperwork, manipulated case records, and exerted significant influence in Kanpur for over three decades, instilling fear among locals and officials alike.
The SIT continues to examine property records, company documents, and financial transactions to uncover the full extent of the alleged corruption network.