New Delhi, Nov 17: President A P J Abdul Kalam tonight accepted the resignation of Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Dilip Singh Judev on the recommendation of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. ''The President has accepted with immediate effect Judev's resignation from the union ministry on the Prime Minister's recommendations,'' a Rashtrapati Bhavan press communique issued tonight said.

Earlier in the day, Judev submitted his resignation to Vajpayee.

The Prime Minister later forwarded the letter to the President for acceptance. Judev's resignation came following the publication of the report in a newspaper and video footage in TV channels yesterday of money being received by him for mining contract in Chhattisgarh and Orissa.

Bureau Report