MP govt cautious over EC order in probe against officers, ministers

When asked by journalists about the findings of the report, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said: “The law will take its own course and nobody will be spared.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Madhya Pradesh is proceeding cautiously on a communique from the Election Commission of India (ECI)suggesting a probe of at least three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, a state administrative service official and several politicians for alleged use of unaccounted money in the 2019 general elections.

The politicians include three ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government and two ex-ministers whose names surfaced during income tax raids conducted on two aides of the then chief minister Kamal Nath and certain others associated with them in connections with allegations that they had made “extensive use of unaccounted cash” during the elections, according to officials who requested anonymity and an official communique by the ECI, which asked the government to register a case after a probe by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The communique has been posted on its website.

What has worried the state government are the names of several politicians of the ruling party, including the ministers, in a report by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) submitted to the state government last week; some are said to be eyeing vacant cabinet berths,the officials said. The CBDT report may delay a planned expansion of the cabinet, BJP functionaries said.

Names of these officers and politicians came to light during the raids against the political advisor to the then chief minister Kamal Nath, RK Miglani, the then officer on special duty to Nath, Praveen Kakkad, and certain others associated with the two, in Bhopal and Delhi in April 2019, as per the I-T department.

The ECI’s official communiqué said: “After deliberations, Commission directed to forward copy of the report of CBDT dated 28.10.2020 to the chief electoral officer, Madhya Pradesh, to lodge a criminal action before designated authority, e.g. Economic Offence Wing, State of Madhya Pradesh against concerned for violation as per extant Electoral and other relevant laws. Commission has also directed union home secretary to initiate appropriate departmental action against All India Service officers and also to chief secretary, Madhya Pradesh for similar action against state officer.”

When asked by journalists about the findings of the report, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said: “The law will take its own course and nobody will be spared.”

Home minister Narottam Mishra spoke in a similar vein. He said: “ECI and CBDT sent the report to the chief electoral officer and chief secretary in the state after an investigation. As directed by the ECI, the matter is being forwarded to EOW for further action. Nobody will be spared if he or she is found involved in corrupt practices.”

EOW’s superintendent of police Rajesh Mishra said: “EOW has not received any report yet.”

When contacted and asked if the ECI had set any deadline for the state government to lodge a first information report in the case, joint chief electoral officer of Madhya Pradesh Dharnendra Kumar Jain said: “There is no deadline. The state government is expected to look into the report and initiate the action on its part.”