The Uttarakhand government on Thursday asked the state DGP B. .S Sidhu to examine the authenticity of the sting operation video released by BJP accusing Chief Minister Harish Rawat of corruption in liquor licenses.
Informing this here, Chief Minister’s media in-charge, Surendra Kumar also said that no action will be taken against any official until the veracity of the video is verified.
“Chief Minister Harish Rawat had asked Uttarakhand BJP B. S. Sidhu to probe the authenticity of the CD and no action will taken against any official till the verification is done,” he said.
Mr Kumar also refuted suspension rumours of Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s secretary Mohammad Shahid, who is alleged to be involved in the scam.
He appealed to the BJP to provide the CD at the earliest so that the verification can be completed soon.
Meanwhile, the BJP objected to the government decision to appoint DGP Sidhu for the investigation and said that “he is one of the corrupt official who is involved in several scams.”
“About six cases are pending against DGP Sidhu and hearing of one of the cases is scheduled for today in the High Court,” BJP state president Tirath Singh Rawat said, adding that “everyone knows what truth would come out of the investigation by such a corrupt officer.”
The Leader of opposition Ajay Bhatt alleged that 26 persons including Chief Minister’s advisors and Public Relation Officers are actively carrying out such “dealings” at the state secretariat.
The Chief Minister had brought Shahid, an IAS officer from Gujarat cadre, to Uttarakhand and it is very clear with whose “support” he is doing these “bargainings”, he said.
Mr Bhatt alleged that for getting a favourable report prepared on the alleged relief scam for the 2013 calamity, Mr Rawat has purportedly offered Chief Information Commissioner’s post to Chief Secretary N Ravishankar once he retires.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on Wednesday released a CD of the sting operation in which Rawat’s personal secretary Mohammad Shahid is shown purportedly bargaining with middlemen and private liquor distributors about the commission to be given to him for allowing them instead of government undertakings to distribute liquor in Dehradun. - PTI
