Accusing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta of making “false and mischievous” allegations against him in the Supreme Court, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday dismissed claims of meeting a High Court judge to seek favours for some high-profile accused in a corruption case.
Appearing for the Enforcement Directorate during a Supreme Court hearing of its plea seeking transfer of a PMLA case related to the alleged ‘Nagrik Apurti Nigam’ (NAN) scam [pertaining to rice procurement and transportation for rations] outside Chhattisgarh, Mr. Mehta had referred to a WhatsApp chat of an alleged close aide of Mr. Baghel that a judge had met the Chief Minister two days before bail was granted to some of the accused in the case.
Mr. Baghel’s remarks come a day after the government told the apex court that the Chief Minister had never met any High Court judge. He said that such allegations were being hurled for political motives.
“This is a conspiracy to malign my political image and put the judiciary under pressure, which will be retaliated appropriately,” he tweeted.
Interacting with journalists in Delhi, the Chief Minister also said the fact that the submission was based on a WhatsApp conversation between two people was laughable.
