The UP Minister for Religious Endowments, Rajesh Tripathi, is in the centre of a controversy after a woman from Deoria claimed that his adopted son is actually her child who was ‘stolen’ by him in 2004. A Gorakhpur court has now ordered the mother and Tripathi’s son to undergo a DNA test.

Pramila Sharma gave birth to a boy at BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur on January 13, 2004 but the child went missing after three days. The police could not trace the child and later closed the case. Sharma had filed a complaint against Tripathi who was given a clean chit by the police. She later approached the Gorakhpur court which acceded to her request for the DNA test.

Tripathi who denied the charge said, “On January 23, 2004, a day-old baby was found at Rampur Dhanwali area. Since no one was interested in keeping the baby, I requested the Gram Panchayat to hand over the baby to me. After all the formalities, the boy was given to me. “

Sub-inspector Ambika Tiwari, who accompanied Pramila to Lucknow on Monday, said, “I have been deputed to help conduct the DNA test. We are completing the formalities”.

Tripathi said that he had not been informed about the DNA test. “No official letter has been sent to me by any authority and I have come to know about it through the media, “ he said.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General, Law and Order, Brijlal said, “There is no pressure from the minister and he is ready for the DNA test of the boy whom he had adopted. The process of test is on and the samples will be taken soon,” he said.