Lok Satta for Lokayukta Inquiry on Minister

Hyderabad, Oct 27 (UNI) The Lok Satta Party today urged Andhra Pradesh Governor N D Tiwari to direct the Lokayukta to inquire into the grave charges of corruption levelled against Panchayati Raj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy by his colleague and Small Scale Industries Minister Gollapalli Surya Rao.

In a letter to the Governor, the party leaders said, ''We urge you to direct the AP Lokayukta, under the Section 18(3) of the Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta and Upalokayukta Act (1983), to immediately begin a thorough and impartial investigation in the grave allegations of corruption against Mr JC Diwakar Reddy.

Party Spokesmen B Krishna Reddy and K Srinivasa Rao, in a statement released to the media, said, ''it is not a family affair or a party matter to be sorted out by a committee of Ministers, appointed by the Chief Minister.'' The Lokayukta should take cognisance of media reports and initiate the inquiry. They said the State was facing the extraordinary situation of one Minister making serious corruption charges against his own colleague.

''Only a Lokayukta inquiry will bring the facts to light.

If the allegations are proved, the guilty Minister should be sacked and criminal proceedings initiated against him.

''If the allegations are proved to be baseless, the Minister who made the allegations should be sacked. Pending the judicial inquiry, both the Ministers should be divested of their responsibilities,'' they added.

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