Lucknow: Shortly after being sworn in Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav on August 29 ordered withdrawal of the "politically-motivated" Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) cases against two independent MLAs - Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya and Dhananjay Singh - and Raja Bhaiya's father Uday Pratap Singh, slapped on them by Mayawati.

The POTA cases slapped on these leaders to settle "political scores" would be withdrawn and the cases of National Security Act (NSA) and Goonda Act imposed during the last regime would be reviewed, he told reporters after assuming office.

Officials had been directed to ensure that orders to revoke POTA were issued forthwith, Yadav said.

It might be mentioned that Raja Bhaiya, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- supported independent MLA, had led a group of 10 independent legislators including Dhananjay Singh, to withdraw support to the then Mayawati government last year.

Raja Bhaiya was later arrested after BJP MLA Puran Singh Bundela lodged a first information report (FIR) alleging that the two MLAs had threatened him with life if he did not join the ranks of the rebel BJP legislators.

Yadav's order also covers a fourth POTA accused Akshay Pratap Singh, an MLC.

PTI