![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/letter-1907_1788542694.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nIn Uttar Pradesh, MLAs themselves are allegedly engaging in corruption in the name of development. They reportedly write recommendation letters for roads, drains and street lights only when they receive a 35% to 40% commission.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n A recommendation letter is a letter from an MLA based on which the CDO (Chief Development Officer) releases money from the MLA development fund. With 40% of the money allegedly going into the MLA’s pocket, it can be imagined what the quality of the work would be.<\/p>\n Dainik Bhaskar has made its biggest expose so far, catching two MLAs allegedly taking bribes on camera.<\/strong> A Bhaskar reporter posed as an NGO manager and negotiated with the MLAs for the release of funds.<\/p>\n The MLAs were focused on just one question: how much commission would they get? The MLAs were caught taking commissions on a hidden camera and subsequently issued recommendation letters for the release of MLA funds. Of the two MLAs, one is from the BJP and the other from the Samajwadi Party (SP). Read the full investigation\u2026<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n First, we conducted a sting operation on BJP MLA Jai Mangal Kannaujiya. Kannaujiya has previously faced allegations of bribery. We registered an NGO and then underwent training related to solar lights because we intended to seek funds from the MLA specifically for installing solar lights.<\/p>\n To build a rapport with the MLA, we travelled with him from village to village for 30 days. We held a total of eight rounds of negotiations with the MLA for funds for solar lights. In the fourth round, MLA Kannaujiya agreed to sanction work worth \u20b910.50 lakh in return for a 35% commission.<\/p>\n During the subsequent meetings, he took the bribe and signed the recommendation letter and handed it to us. Read our conversation with him word for word\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n “Others are giving me 40% commission. How much will you give me?” – Kannaujiya<\/strong><\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “The other solar people are giving 40% commission.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “We can give you up to 35%.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “Fine. I want the money on the same day we write the letter.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “How much should we pay as an advance?”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “Why pay an advance? Pay the full amount. Get the letter written by me and finish the matter.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “If you say so, we can pay 20% of the 35% commission now. Once the letter is issued, we will pay the remaining 80%.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “Fine. Come tomorrow morning at 11am.”<\/p>\n The next day, at 11am, the MLA carried out the transaction. He took \u20b950,000 in cash and said, \u2018Bring the remaining money tomorrow.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “Is the proposal for \u20b910.50 lakh?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “The 35% commission will be \u20b9368,500. Twenty per cent of this will be \u20b973,500.” (While handing over the money)<\/em> “We have brought \u20b950,000 in cash for now. We will pay the rest later.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “Fine. Bring it tomorrow.”<\/p>\n (Two days later, we reached the MLA’s house and handed over the remaining amount.)<\/em><\/p>\n “Give me some more money. We had agreed that you would give me 20% of the total payment,” – Kannaujiya<\/strong><\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “How much is this?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “\u20b923,500.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “How much does it come to?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “Thirty-five per cent of \u20b910.50 lakh comes to \u20b9367,500, which we will give you. We had agreed to pay 20% of this amount upfront, which comes to \u20b973,500. We had already given you \u20b950,000.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> (surprised)<\/em> “\u20b973,500. No, brother.” (He took out the calculator on his mobile phone and spent some time adding up the figures.)<\/em> “You are giving me 20%, aren’t you? You had said you would give us 20% of the 35%.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “We are giving you 20% of the 35%. We have already given you \u20b973,500. Now \u20b9294,000 remains.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “Give me something more, brother. We had agreed that you would give me 20% of the total payment.”<\/p>\n The MLA became angry and demanded more money. So, after some time, we returned with more cash<\/span><\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “You were upset, so we have come to give you something more.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> “I am not the kind of person who gets upset. If you want to give something more, then give it.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “Sir, this is \u20b910,000.”<\/p>\n Kannaujiya:<\/strong> (while taking the money)<\/em> “Go, enjoy yourself. Come tomorrow and collect the letter.”<\/p>\n In this way, MLA Kannaujiya took a total bribe of \u20b983,500 from us. The following day, he handed over the recommendation letter.<\/p>\n The recommendation letter approved the installation of solar lights worth \u20b910.50 lakh from the MLA\u2019s local area development fund<\/span><\/p>\n SP MLA Pooja Saroj from Mehnagar in Azamgarh district has also faced allegations of taking bribes. We developed a relationship with the MLA’s relative and representative, Vikas Saroj. Posing as an NGO manager, we presented the MLA with a proposal to install solar lights and water coolers. When the MLA asked for a sample, we purchased and installed a solar light to demonstrate it.<\/p>\n For 15 days, we went from village to village with her associates and selected the locations where the solar lights were to be installed. We held a total of 15 meetings with the MLA. During the 12th meeting, the MLA raised the issue of commission.<\/p>\n \u2018Our only rule on bribes is 50% in advance,\u2019 – MLA Pooja<\/strong><\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “What was discussed?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “Please give us the work order. We will make some advance payment.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> (laughing)<\/em> “Not some. We have only one rule: 50% commission first and 50% later. Vikas can discuss the matter accordingly. How much commission are we getting?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “We will be able to give up to 35%.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “How much will you give as an advance, 50% or\u2026?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “We will pay 10% of the 35% as an advance.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “Before the paper, the recommendation letter, is prepared; that is, when I sign it, 50% of the advance must have reached me.”<\/p>\n (At a rate of \u20b913,500 per unit for 200 solar street lights and \u20b920,000 per unit for 20 water coolers, the total budget came to \u20b931 lakh.)<\/em><\/p>\n Pooja Saroj calculated the 35% commission, which came to Rs 10.85 lakh, and then spoke to us<\/span><\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “The amount is very low. Around \u20b910 lakh. Only \u20b95 lakh has to be given as an advance.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “Take 10% of \u20b910 lakh now. We will make the remaining 90% later.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “First, arrange the commission for the solar lights.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “Fine. The budget for 200 lights comes to \u20b927 lakh. Thirty-five per cent of this is \u20b99.45 lakh.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “How much is 50%?”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “It will be around \u20b95 lakh. When you sign the letter, we will give you \u20b91 lakh. As soon as the money is released, we will give you \u20b98.45 lakh.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “No.” (Showing \u20b95 lakh on the calculator on her mobile phone)<\/em> “Bring this amount and I will sign the letter and give it to you.”<\/p>\n During the conversation, we gave MLA Pooja Rs 1 lakh. While returning the money, the MLA said, ‘Give the entire amount at once.’<\/span><\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “Don’t do this. Give the full amount after two days. It is not such a large amount.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “This is our NGO’s policy.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “Who is it? Let me speak to them. Call them. They are following some nonsensical policy.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “We can arrange 25% for you tomorrow, which comes to \u20b9236,650. The rest will be paid after the letter is issued.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “No. You see how you want to do it.”<\/p>\n Reporter:<\/strong> “Ma’am, it is just a matter of two days.”<\/p>\n Pooja:<\/strong> “Their policy will not work with me. We are getting entangled for no reason. This is not right.”<\/p>\n The MLA remained adamant about taking \u20b95 lakh. When no solution was reached, we returned<\/span><\/p>\n A few days later, Vikas called. He said, “You haven’t come.” We said, “Madam, the MLA is insisting on 50% in advance. We can give 25%. If you get the MLA to sign the letter and send it to us on WhatsApp, we will come with \u20b95 lakh.”<\/p>\n Seven days later, Vikas sent four recommendation letters. Vikas said, “Bring \u20b914,17,500, which is half of the 35% commission, and take the hard copies of the letters.” Since we had already exposed the MLA, we did not go to collect the hard copies.<\/p>\n The recommendation letter approved works worth \u20b981 lakh from the MLA\u2019s local area development fund. The 35% commission on this amount comes to \u20b928.35 lakh.<\/span><\/p>\n MLAs’ close associates are also taking money<\/strong><\/p>\n MLA Pooja Saroj’s representative Vikas took \u20b910,000 from us three times: \u20b910,000, then another \u20b910,000, and then \u20b95,000. That means these people are allegedly taking 1-2% of the MLA development fund. Similarly, Sanjeev Shukla, a close associate of Maharajganj Sadar MLA Jai Mangal Kannaujiya, took \u20b95,000 from us on four occasions, totalling \u20b920,000.<\/p>\n Now know where MLAs can use the MLA fund<\/strong><\/p>\n In Uttar Pradesh, every MLA receives \u20b95 crore every year under the MLA development fund. That means \u20b925 crore over five years. The funds can be used for various works, including roads, drains, brick-paved roads, community buildings, drinking water and lighting.<\/p>\n Taking commission from the MLA fund is a serious matter and can lead to a seven-year sentence<\/strong><\/p>\n Atul Singh, AGM-1 (Additional Government Advocate) at the Lucknow High Court, said, “If an MLA takes a commission or bribe, Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will apply. It provides for a sentence of three to seven years. The accounts containing approved or remaining MLA funds in the name of the accused MLA can be frozen immediately. At the Assembly level, the Conduct Committee or Ethics Committee investigates the matter.”<\/p>\n The chain of bribery in the MLA fund does not end here. When an MLA’s recommendation letter reaches the CDO office, a commission is allegedly fixed for everyone there, from employees to officers. Read Part 2 of Bhaskar’s biggest expose tomorrow for the rate list of bribes allegedly demanded by officers and employees at the CDO office.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Uttar Pradesh, MLAs themselves are allegedly engaging in corruption in the name of development. They reportedly write recommendation letters for roads, drains and street lights only when they receive a 35% to 40% commission. A recommendation letter is a letter from an MLA based on which the CDO (Chief Development Officer) releases money from…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[33236,33239,33238,33235,33240,33234,33237,11319],"class_list":["post-36077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nation","tag-bjp-sp-scandal","tag-commission-corruption","tag-dainik-bhaskar-expose","tag-mla-bribery","tag-mla-recommendation-letter","tag-up-corruption","tag-up-development-fund","tag-uttar-pradesh-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36077"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36077\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/artboard-9_1788543317.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/gifmagicsite-931788514557_1788542461.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/gifmagicsite-901788515216_1788545066.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/yvo8zs1788514717_1788544293.jpeg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/artboard-10_1788544990.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"Pooja](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/gifmagicsite-941788515286_1788544434.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"During](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/gifmagicsite-961788515524_1788544610.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/gifmagicsite-971788515670_1788544728.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/screenshot-2026-09-04-1527071788515844_1788544833.png\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/04\/quote-image-48_1788544902.png\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n