All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Saturday cast doubts on the special task force (STF) probe into the PEB scam, saying “it seems to be aimed at protecting the high and mighty”.
“The STF is conducting the investigation only to save the influential politicians and officials, and in such a way that it may not lead to convictions,” the former chief minister said, after he met justice Chandresh Bhushan, the chairman of the special investigation team (SIT).
The Madhya Pradesh high court has assigned the SIT to oversee the STF investigation of the PEB scam. Digvijaya said the STF investigators took action in an arbitrary manner, booking several persons who were involved, and letting off the rest. “Union minister Uma Bharti’s name repeatedly came up during investigation, but she was not even quizzed,” he said.
Singh said there were glaring discrepancies like in the transport recruitment examination in which 196 posts were advertised but 316 candidates were later selected. “The STF didn’t even record the date when a seizure — either of computer hard disk or other evidence — was made. They didn’t record hash value, which changes if there is an addition or deletion later,” he added.
“The STF officials should know that tampering with evidences is also a serious crime under IT Act, and I warn them that they may go to jail for such acts. I will pursue the case till the end. Names of people at the top were in the documents but were removed,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}“The STF officials should know that tampering with evidences is also a serious crime under IT Act, and I warn them that they may go to jail for such acts. I will pursue the case till the end. Names of people at the top were in the documents but were removed,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}“How can an official, whose confidential report will be written by the chief minister, will be able to probe a case against those at the very top,” Digvijaya said, alleging that even people at CM secretariat are involved in the scam. “This is the reason we have been asking for a CBI investigation,” he said.
Singh also said a toll-free number would be set up where people affected by scams would be able to inform about the recruitment and other scams. “While Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that ‘na khaunga, na khane dunga’ (will not let anybody indulge in corruption), how can such things happen?” asked Singh.
Justice Chandresh Bhushan told media that the issues raised by Digvijaya Singh over STF investigation would be looked in to and if needed, directions would be issued by the SIT.
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