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Uttarakhand MLA wants CBI probe into ‘Rs 50-cr’ panchayat scam
The Khanpur MLA alleged a Rs 50-crore scam in the distribution of panchayat shops in Haridwar district and demanded a CBI probe into the irregularities
The Khanpur MLA alleged a Rs 50-crore scam in the distribution of panchayat shops in Haridwar district and demanded a CBI probe into the irregularities.
Haridwar zila panchayat chairperson Savita Chaudhary was suspended last week after district magistrate (DM) Deepak Rawat submitted to the government a report that highlighted anomalies in the distribution of shops.
The MLA, Kunwar Pranav Singh ‘Champion’, and his wife Rani Devyani said the scam was reported during the previous Congress government, hinting at involvement of former chief minister Harish Rawat.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Champion alleged that irregularities were reported at more than six places, and the scam money went to Chaudhary’s husband Rajender Chaudhary and relatives.
“District panchayat shops are constructed, auctioned and distributed to local people so that they could do business. But Savita Chaudhary auctioned the shops at minimal value to her relatives leaving a big hole in the state treasury,” Champion told media persons.
Devyani has been nominated as the chairperson of the committee that dug up documents and detected the multi-crore scam.
Former BJP MLA Shehzaad alleged that the shops were constructed at high costs with panchayat funds in Bhagwanpur, Jwalapur and a dozen other places, but they were auctioned at minimum rates to Chaudhary’s family and relatives.
At Roshnabad, Rs 53 lakh was given to the contractor for constructing only one-metre boundary wall. “Imagine the level of corruption if for only one-metre boundary wall, Rs 53 lakh was given to the contractor. And the contractor is her family member,” Shehzaad alleged.
“This couldn’t have been possible without the support of the then government,” Shehzaad said, hinting at the role of Harish Rawat.
Champion demanded for “a comprehensive investigation” into the scam, saying the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand government has zero tolerance on corruption.
Reacting to the allegations, Savita Chaudhary said, “I haven’t seen or read what Devyani or legislator Kunwar Pranav have alleged. Such allegations are baseless and politically motivated. For past one and a half years nothing was said about the irregularities.”
She had earlier claimed that the irregularities were reported before she took charge of the district panchayat. (With inputs from Sandeep Rawat in Haridwar)
