Candidate’s pamphlet found on arms dealer

LUCKNOW: Alleged involvement of criminal elements in the Lucknow Cantonment Board polls came to the fore, following arrest of a Bahraich-based man by a joint team of the Army intelligence and the UP Police. Police said a case under section 3/32 of the Arms Act has been slapped on Imran Khan alias Rosy, who had come to Lucknow with the intention of selling countrymade arms to disrupt the Cantonment board polls.
“Imran during his interrogation admitted that he has come with three accomplices and brought a cache of ammunition,” police said and added that a pistol and two magazines were recovered from Imran. An election pamphlet of candidate Pramod Sharma, who is contesting from ward number 2, was also recovered from Imran.
Meanwhile, Army intelligence sources told TOI, “Pramod Sharma is a man of bad repute, and he is under the radar of the Army authorities in Lucknow Cantonment.” The proximity of Pramod alias Pappu Sharma with Imran came to light on Thursday, when Pramod reportedly went to Ghazipur police station to bail out Imran, but was driven away by the cops.
When contacted, Pramod Sharma distanced himself from Imran and also denied reports of him going to Ghazipur police station to enquire about him. “Imran’s in-laws stay in Topkhana area of Lucknow Cantonment. Hence, there is nothing unusual about his carrying my publicity pamphlets as they were being distributed there,” added Pramod Sharma.