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Uttarakhand CM leaves for Delhi, will meet Nitin Gadkari
They are likely to discuss the NH-74 land scam and the CBI inquiry that the state government had recommended.
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat left for Delhi Thursday amid rumours that he had been summoned by Union minister for highways Nitin Gadkari after the latter’s letter suggesting that the state government’s recommendation for a CBI inquiry into the NH-74 land scam would demoralise NH officials was leaked to the media.
The CM has already admitted that Gadkari had written to him that a CBI probe into the ₹300-crore scam relating to NH-74 coming up in US Nagar could demoralise the NH officials.
The reports that Rawat had been summoned by the Centre to discuss that issue gained credence after he admitted that he was going to Delhi to see Gadkari. “I am going to Delhi where I will meet him (Gadkari) and other central ministers,” Rawat said replying to specific query if he had been summoned by Gadkari to discuss the issue of the CBI probe.
Rawat had recommended a CBI inquiry into the NH-74 land scam just a week after he took charge in March. Rawat had also suspended six officials of the sub-divisional magistrate’s rank for their alleged involvement in the scam besides initiating a case against a retired official.
He had said the action had been initiated against the seven officials after a report by the Kumaon commissioner indicted them in the NH-74 land scam.
The opposition Congress has accused Rawat of stonewalling the CBI probe to shield some top state BJP leaders involved in the NH-74 land scam.
