BJP wants SIT probe against Tatkare, Bhujbal

BJP wants SIT probe against Tatkare, Bhujbal

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sought an investigation against two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ministers by a Special Investigation Team. It has submitted a 2,600-page document to state governor K Sankaranarayanan as evidence of their misappropriations and violations of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) and has also alleged that the government is suppressing action against the ministers. A Kirit Somaiya-led delegation met the governor and chief minister Prithviraj Chavan demanding action against water resources minister Sunil Tatkare and public works department minister Chhagan Bhujbal. The delegation submitted evidence documents to both the heads and has sought immediate action. The BJP leader later said that the chief minister told them that the documents were not ‘foolproof’. He announced that he wants to move the court if the government failed to probe the irregularities. He said that the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Economic Offences Wings have not acted in spite of the proofs as the agencies are under tremendous pressure from the government. The delegation demanded an FIR be registered against the ministers before August 15 for their alleged corruption and money laundering. Somaiya alleged that Bhujbal’s relatives had deals with companies under fake names and enjoyed the kickbacks and that he himself had transfered money to foreign countries, violating the FERA. He also alleged that Tatkare had grabbed acres of land by misusing his position as a minister, adding that he was getting death threats from NCP workers for exposing their leaders. Both ministers have denied the charges. Tatkare is ready to face any action, while Bhujbal has threatened legal action for the charges against him.