Ayodhya: GST officer withdraws resignation days after quitting over Avimukteshwaranand issue

Prashant Kumar Singh, who recently resigned as GST Deputy Commissioner here in protest against alleged ''objectionable'' remarks by Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand regarding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, withdrew his resignation on Saturday and returned to work. ''I withdrew my resignation without any pressure. Today, I am in my office and working,'' he said, asserting that this was his decision. Singh had resigned on Tuesday, expressing his outrage over Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand's alleged remarks, which he viewed as attempts to divide the nation based on caste and religion. He emphasised that he was stepping down in support of the government, the Constitution, and the country's elected leadership. Following Singh's resignation announcement in Ayodhya, where he is currently posted, his brother, Vishwajeet Singh, alleged to the media that Prashant had obtained his government job using a fraudulent disability certificate. Dr Sanjay Gupta, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Mau, shared that a complaint requesting the re-evaluation of Singh's disability certificate was filed in 2021, and inquiries are being conducted at multiple levels, including the health department, the Office of the Divyangjan Ayog, and higher administrative authorities. According to CMO Gupta, the disability certificate was issued in 2009, and since the complaint was lodged in 2021, the verification process has been ongoing. ''I have been aware of this matter since 2021, and the inquiry process has continued since then,'' Gupta noted. Prashant also accused his brother Vishwajeet of being an active member of Mukhtar Ansari's gang and serving as his financial adviser. Additionally, he claimed that several criminal cases were registered against Vishwajeet, and accused him of assaulting their parents.