Bihar CM asks Excise Minister to resign

Patna, Feb 18 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked Excise Minister Jamshed Ashraf to step down from his post after he accused the Chief Minister's secretariat of covering up a 'multi-crore scam'.

In a confidential letter to Ashraf, Kumar said, "The charges are unfortunate, undignified, malicious and unbecoming of a minister."

Ashraf has been asked to resign for allegedly breaching the oath of office and secrecy.

Kumar claimed that no irregularities were detected during inquiry into the allegations and refused all the charges.

"My political career has remained clean and will remain clean," said Kumar adding that there was nothing to hide and that nobody could purchase him.

Replying to Ashraf's letter dated January 14, Kumar accused him with stalling some of the 'progressive measures' for arresting illegal sale of liquor, saying the chief secretary found many discrepancies in the investigation into the allegations.

Excise Minister Jamshed Ashraf has alleged that a company owned by a senior Janata Dal -United (JD-U) functionary close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was awarded tenders for the sale of country liquor in four districts of the state breaking all rules.

Ashraf wrote a letter to Nitish on the alleged scam on January 14 seeking his interference is disclosing a scam that involved his secretariat. (ANI)