Corruption case against Panna, Vidisha district collectors

Bureaucrats in Madhya Pradesh are certainly minting money by siphoning off funds.

In a fresh development, Lokayukta has registered corruption case against Panna collector KC Jain and former Indore Municipal Corporation commissioner CB Singh who is now Vidisha Collector and five other municipal officers.

The case is regarding a property-related fraud. All the persons named in FIR had acquired plots in Vasant Vihar Colony in Indore without the due permission. The complainant Rajendra Gupta has alleged that Jain got four plots in the name of his relatives and though they were not permitted for joint construction, construction of one huge building structure began on the plots clubbed together.

There is complaint that Jain has purchased ten dumpers in the name of his brother. The other officers include building permission officer, building inspector and former IDA CEO have been booked, according to Hindi daily Raj Express.

Lokayukta case against former Jhabua collector for NREGA corruption

Bureaucrats in Madhya Pradesh appear involved in massive corruption. The latest officer charged of corruption is Jagdish Sharma, an IAS officer, who is posted as Deputy Secretary with the Vallabh Bhawan. 

Sharma is accused of causing a loss of Rs 28 lakh to the state government through fraud and conspiracy. Chief Executive Officer Jagmohan Dhurve and others are also accused in the case filed by Lokayukta police. The accused persons had got documents relating to National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme printed from a private press rather than government press.

Sharma was then Collector of Jhabua. On the complaint of Rajesh Solanki, a resident of Jhabua, the police conducted inquiry and found that there were irregularities in printing of posters, registers, pamphlets, NREGS booklets and other documents. 

'Moderate' Shivraj wants Omar Abdullah behind bars

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is considered a moderate leader among BJP and is praised for his measured speech.

But his speech at a symposium in Bhopal was not in line with his overall image. Chouhan said that Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah should be behind bars.

Chouhan said that instead of sitting on CM's chair, Abdullah's rightful place is a jail along with Arundhati Roy and Hurriyat leader Gilani. This was a bit unusual for the MP Chief Minister, as he rarely attacks fellow politicians even if they belong to opposition or other political parties.

Dumper Case: State government, Chief Minister again feel heat

Lokayukta is probing dumper case

Four years after the 'dumper case' had rocked Madhya Pradesh, Congress has again stepped up pressure on the ruling BJP government over the major scandal in order to corner Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

With Congress leaders deciding to go to Delhi and meet President Pratibha Patil on the issue, the dumper scam is again hitting headlines. It was alleged that Chief Minister's wife Sadhna Singh had bought four dumper trucks in May 2006.

A case was filed in the court to seek details of purchase of dumpers. It was alleged that the dumpers were attached to JP Group's cement plant in Rewa. It was raised as a case of corruption and allegations were made against Chouhan.

Former Leader of opposition late Jamuna Devi had shot a letter to CM and asked him to explain the situation. It was later found that Sadhna Singh had taken a loan of Rs 77 lakh from bank to buy four dumpers for personal travels business.

It was clarified that it is not wrong to earn living through business. She had earned Rs 16 lakh through the dumpers. Congress leaders had alleged that her company got Rs 75,000 monthly rent from JP Cement which was raised by Rs 10,000 later.

The opposition had alleged that how the dumpers were purchased, who financed them, whose photographs were affixed on the bank documents and why the dumpers were sold all of a sudden. They demanded that if everything was in order, why the record was not put in the Assembly.

Though it was accepted by CM that a loan of Rs 77 lakh was taken to buy dumpers in 2007, no details were released in his personal assets revealed in 2009-2010. Neither purchase and sale of dumpers, nor the earnings from this business to his wife, were mentioned. The Congress had alleged that the aim was to provide benefit to the JP group.

Jamuna Devi had questioned how the margin money was paid and despite not having an account in Oriental bank, how the instalments were paid and whether the Income Tax department was informed. The court had asked the Lokayukta police to conduct inquiry and submit report.

Once again the Congress is now forcefully raising the issue. Opposition didn't let the house function and the Assembly was adjourned. Congress is insisting on the demand for a CBI inquiry into the entire episode. Seems the opposition is trying to put the government in dock and also energize itself with the four year old case.