Kanpur, Oct 9 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh's Minister for Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSME), Rakesh Sachan has been acquitted in a 32-year-old case of encroachment on a government building and assaulting a government employee in Kanpur.

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate (III) Alok Yadav acquitted the minister after the witnesses turned hostile and there was lack of concrete evidence against him.

In 1990, Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) employee G.D. Das had lodged a report against Rakesh Sachan and others at Gwaltoli police station.

He had alleged in his complaint that with the intention of grabbing the Hindi Bhawan of KDA, Sachan along with his aides reached there and threw away the goods after claiming that the building was his office.

When the government staff present there protested, he abused and beat them. He also threatened them of dire consequences.

After the investigation, the charge sheet against Rakesh Sachan was sent to court.

Rakesh's advocate Kapil Deep Sachan said, "After framing of charges, witnesses were produced by prosecution. They, however, turned hostile and dismissed the allegations against Sachan. It was said in the court that there was no incident of assault. The plaintiff, GD Das, had died during the trial itself. His statement also could not be recorded in the court."