In a development which could provide ammunition to the baiters of chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, both within his party and outside it, the deputy leader of congress legislature party and Ranikhet MLA, Karan Mahra has alleged that the CM and his close friend Sanjay Gupta first purchased 16 Bighas of rural land in Dehradun and later announced Suryadhar lake project in its vicinity. He claimed that the said land was purchased in many phases from the year 2012 to 2017 before the CM laid foundation stone of the project on December 25, 2017.
Addressing the media persons at Rajiv Bhawan on Tuesday, the Congress leader also showed the documents related to the purchase of the land. He said that after an audio of Sanjay Gupta went viral, the CM had claimed that he had no partnership with Gupta but these documents and photographs clearly show that Gupta was regularly in touch with CM and was with him on the date of inauguration of project. “The last registry of the lands purchased was done on July 31, 2017 while the project was inaugurated on December 25, 2017. The cost of Suryadhar project is Rs 70 Crore. The whole episode shows that the government money was misused and puts up a big question mark over zero tolerance policy on corruption,’’ he said. Mahra also said that the CM has no moral authority to continue in the office and claimed that he has more proofs of corruption which he would produce later. He demanded that an inquiry headed by a sitting judge of High Court (HC) should be ordered in the case.
The Pradesh Congress Committee ( PCC) President, Pritam Singh who was also present on the occasion said that the much hyped ‘Zero Tolerance on Corruption’ of Trivendra Singh Rawat government is visible nowhere. “The government first said that a CBI inquiry would be ordered on NH-74 scam but later it backtracked. It was claimed that Lokayukt would be brought within 100 days but even after more than two years nothing is done on this,’’ he said.
Kedarnath MLA, Manoj Rawat and Congress leaders were present on the occasion.