Former Cabinet Minister and one of the nine rebel MlAs who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, Harak Singh Rawat has accused Chief Minister Harish Rawat of engaging in political witch hunting by ordering a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry into the Sahaspur land purchase case.
While addressing media persons at his residence on Monday, Harak Singh said that the police in its Final Report (FR) have categorically stated that Sushila Rani has made a power of attorney in the name of Virendra Kandari in 2002 before her death. It is alleged that Harak Singh had acquired the land on a forged power of attorney as the owner of land had died in the year 1974.
Dipti Rawat, wife of Harak Singh Rawat had purchased this land on March 31, 2004 from Kandari. The former Minister said that the Uttarakhand High Court too had rejected the case based on police FR. Putting question mark over SIT investigation as it is under the state government, Rawat said that he is ready to face inquiry by any agency not associated with State Government.
Stating that he was ready for a CBI probe regarding his property, he also dared the CM to get the CBI inquiry conducted on his own (Harish Rawat’s) properties. Harak Singh alleged that Harish Rawat has amassed Benami assets worth thousands of crores of Rupees in the country and abroad. He questioned the Chief Minister’s attempts purportedly to evade the CBI inquiry by citing excuses like old age and poor health and his attempt to seek relief from the High Court.
He said,”The revenue collection amounting to about Rs 100 crore during one month period under President’s rule has exposed that a syndicate blessed by Harish Rawat was siphoning off the wealth of the state by allowing illegal mining activities.” He also alleged that the CM engaged in horse trading to keep his flock of 34 MlAs together.
Terming the present Government as in minority and set up unconstitutionally he said that by disqualifying nine MlAs the Assembly speaker had acted in a partisan manner. Giving another example of the vindictive attitude of the State Government after he left the Congress party, Harak Singh said that many contractual employees in the horticulture department appointed during his tenure were recently removed. He also blamed Harish Rawat for engaging in politics which is stooping to the lowest levels.
In response to a question Harak Singh claimed that he was not behind the sting operation conducted on Congress MlA Madan Bisht as he does not believe in hitting below the belt in politics.