Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday rejected the opposition demand for immediate dismissal a ministerial colleague who, along with two other MLAs, figured in a video expose into corruption even as Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey announced a committee of the House to probe the charges against the three.

Participating in a debate in the Housel, Mr. Yadav said the committee should listen to both the parties--the accused persons--Backward Class Welfare Minister Mehboob Ali, BSP and BJP MLAs Anil Kumar Maurya and Somaru Ram--and the news channels which conducted the sting operation.

It would be against the principles of natural justice to punish the accused members without giving them a chance to put across their version, he said added: ``It should be ascertained whether the members had invited the correspondents or they had approached them on their own.

``It would be ascertained if whatever is being shown on the TV news channels is without any tampering. `Kitna joda gaya hai. Kitna kata gaya hai. Kitna sahi hai' (how much has been added. How much has been edited. How far is it true) -- these aspects should be probed by the committee,'' Mr. Yadav said.

Commenting on Congress demand to dismiss the Minister and the two MLAs and lodge cases against them, he said it would be ``unfair'' to punish them without a proper investigation into the matter.

Asserting that he was against corruption and favoured stern punishment for those indulging in such practices, Mr. Yadav said if the accused members were found guilty by the committee they should be punished.

Mr. Pandey said the committee would probe all aspects of the charges and submit its report to the House after which a decision could be taken.

He said it would be his endeavour that the report was submitted during the ongoing budget session and an extension could be given, if required.

Interestingly, both treasury and opposition benches attacked the media for ``crossing limits'' for ``cheap popularity''.

``The media does not enjoy unfettered rights to say whatever it wants just for cheap popularity. Both taking bribes and giving bribes amount to crime,'' the Chief Minister said.

``What is the objective behind the sting operation? The media should also not cross its limits. It cannot say whatever it likes'', he said. PTI

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