Cong accuses MP govt of buckling before corrupt officials

Bhopal, June 18 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh's main opposition Congress today alleged that the ruling BJP, which ''waxed eloquent'' about adopting a hardline stance against corruption, was actually on its knees before corrupt officials.

''A fresh instance of this is the clean chit to corrupt officials following a probe into purchase of pre-school kits and medicine by the Woman and Child Development Department and the open tendering process adopted for ready-to-eat energy food. The regime turned Nelson's eye on the state EOW report,'' MLA and former Minister Satyadev Katare told reporters here.

Alleging that impartial officials were removed from both the department and EOW so that the scam could be covered up, he added that the EOW initiated the investigation on March 14, 2006 after registering a case. Mr Katare distributed photocopies of a June 20, 2006 EOW letter to the Principal Secretary (General Administration).

''The probe concludes that Rashi Nutrifood, Jhabua, and Anil Industries, Indore, profited from the tendering process. IAS officer S R Mohanty, Joint Director R S Raghuvanshi and Project Director R K Gupta compromised the department's interests. The EOW recommended departmental action. A junior officers' team was constituted to investigate their seniors! That makes the government's intention clear,'' he said.

In a letter addressed last month to the government, the EOW said that the probe made it clear that Anil Industries' technical bid should have been rejected.

UNI