New Delhi [India], October 14 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday targeted the BJP over alleged corruption in Madhya Pradesh, claiming that a liquor scam had come to light in the state following a land scam.
In a post on X, Ramesh said his colleague and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari had raised seven questions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged irregularities in liquor contracts.
https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2110209303017894274
Criticising BJP-ruled state governments over alleged corruption, Ramesh said, “ The BJP’s state governments, too, inspired by ‘Hum Do, Hamare Do,’ are setting new benchmarks in corruption. In Madhya Pradesh, after the land scam, a liquor scam has now come to light. On this issue, my colleague Jitu Patwari has asked seven questions of the Prime Minister.”
Questioning whether the Prime Minister would order an investigation into the allegations and ensure its impartiality, Ramesh further said, “If the Prime Minister is not providing protection to this corruption, then he must certainly order an investigation. The question is, will they conduct an impartial investigation? The Prime Minister must surely be aware that the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, who is currently the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, has also criticized the Madhya Pradesh government.”
Meanwhile, MP Congress Chief Jitu Patwari, in a separate post on X, questioned the alleged irregularities in liquor contracts, citing a newspaper report on the matter. He raised questions over an allegedly fake fixed deposit receipt (FDR) worth Rs 2.75 crore and an alleged bribe of Rs 1 crore, seeking answers from the Prime Minister.
https://x.com/jitupatwari/status/2109847073113981151
Questioning who was responsible for the alleged irregularities and demanding a response from the Prime Minister, Patwari wrote, “Prime Minister Ji, The liquor contract scam in MP, a fake FDR of 2.75 crore, an alleged bribe of 1 crore! Under whose protection was this entire game being played? Not too many, just 07 questions! But our Chief Minister is silent! So now @PMOIndia must answer!”
Listing seven questions, Patwari asked why action had been delayed despite seven major alleged irregularities in recovery, how an FDR that the bank allegedly did not issue was accepted, and why security deposited 22 days late was accepted against the rules.
He also questioned who permitted Rs 76 lakh in security without a bank guarantee and whose instructions allegedly led to a Rs 1 crore bribe being paid to secure liquor contracts.
Seeking accountability, Patwari further asked when action would be taken against officials who allegedly accepted security despite the alleged forgery and other officials at Vallabh Bhavan whom he accused of involvement in corruption or commission-related irregularities.
Earlier, on October 8, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda said he had ordered an immediate inquiry into alleged irregularities in liquor contracts for the year 2024-25 and removed his Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Deepam Raichura, of his duties to ensure an impartial investigation.
Devda said he came to know about the allegations through a newspaper report published on the issue and directed the concerned department to conduct an immediate inquiry.
“It came to my attention today through a newspaper report that an issue regarding liquor contracts for the year 2024-25 has been published, alleging certain irregularities or discrepancies. Deepam Raichura, who is currently serving as my OSD, was posted as an Assistant Excise Officer in Bhopal during that period and was not serving as my OSD at the time,” Devda said. (ANI)
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