Bachchan to face police probe over Barabanki land

LUCKNOW - Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan is likely to face a probe after an Uttar Pradesh court Monday directed police to look into an allegation of cheating a villager by not building a women’s college in his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai’s name.

The complaint was filed May 29 by Raj Kumari, the village head of Daulatpur village, about 40 km from here in Barabanki district, before the chief judicial magistrate, who had fixed May 31 for hearing.

The court directed police to carry out preliminary investigation and submit a report June 10.

The court is also expected to take a final decision on the complaint to get a criminal case registered against Bachchan for failing to keep his promise to the people of the village, where he had acquired land, that he would build there a college for women.

Bachchan’s proximity to former Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh allegedly helped him to get agricultural land allotted to him through fraudulent means, the complaint said.

The actor purchased private land. He visited Daulatpur in 2006 along with Singh, wife Jaya, son Abhishek and Aishwarya to declare amidst much fanfare that he would build a women’s college.

The complainant has also alleged that she was intimidated and threatened by Bachchan’s men because she had questioned the mega star’s “false” declaration.