Investigation into NH 74 Scam is predestined to reach to the neck of Uttarakhand Congress

WEDNESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2018 | 09:17:41 AM

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STATE EDITIONS

WITH SIT, RAWAT SENDS CONG SCURRYING FOR COVER

Saturday, 24 February 2018 | Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun | in Dehradun

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In what is being considered as a political master stroke of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the Congress party which was hitherto targeting the State Government for dilly dallying on National Highway -74 scam has come under the radar of Special Investigation Team (SIT). Ever since SIT has questioned former Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay on deposits allegedly made by beneficiaries of the scam in the official account of Congress party prior to the Assembly elections last year, uneasiness has set into the Congress camp. The salvo of SIT fired by the CM has not only sent the Congress party scurrying for cover but has also ensured widening of fissure lines within Congress. To the amusement of the BJP leaders, the Congress honchos have also started pointing fingers towards one another on the issue. Kishore Upadhyay reportedly told the SIT that since the matter relates to the official bank account of the party, the current PCC chief would be better placed to answer questions related to it. The SIT is now expected to grill the PCC president Pritam Singh, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat and his close aides in the matter.

Under the ambit of the SIT are the transactions into a State Bank of India (SBI) account (Nashvilla Road, Dehradun branch) during first two months of year 2017.  According to an estimate, deposits worth Rs 5.5 crore occurred during this period into this account and the withdrawals too were readily made. Interestingly both Kishore Upadhyay and the then treasurer of the party were not operating this account. The account under the scanner of SIT was being operated by OSD and close aide of then Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Kamal Singh Rawat and Mahavir Rangad.

Political commentator Jai Singh Rawat was of the view that in NH 74 scam investigation the BJP had planned to target Congress from the day one and it has now been proved with SIT taking its scope of investigation to the transactions into the Congress account before last year’s assembly elections. He however added that as per the State Government the senior officers of Udham Singh Nagar districts were aware of the scam but kept quiet under pressure of the Congress leaders and its government at that time. Jai Singh Rawat said that the role of these officers should also be investigated.

For widening of NH 74 in Udham Singh Nagar district large tracts of land were acquired by the State Government.

The scam estimated to be running into hundreds of crores of rupees occurred as corrupt officers allegedly provided compensation on commercial rates to the farmers for their agricultural land. It is alleged that some of the beneficiaries of the scam transferred the huge sums into the official account of Congress party just before the assembly elections last year. The SIT has so far arrested Provincial Civil Service officers B S Fonia, NS Naganyal, Anil Shukla and special land acquisition officer and prime accused DP Singh among others in the scam.