The names of two former Ministers in former Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Government — Parshottam Solanki and Dilip Sanghani — have appeared in the Anti Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) report on Rs 400 crore fisheries scam. The ACB officials have submitted the report before a Gandhinagar court.
Sources in ACB said that in the alleged scam, Solanki, who was Minister of State for Port and fisheries may be booked under Prevention of Anti-Corruption Act. The powerful Koli leader, who was dropped by new Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, has been termed ‘guilty in the report for changing the policy despite not being competent’ to do so and therefore he can be booked for corruption.
The ACB has submitted the report almost a year after Gandhinagar court asked to probe the matter under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Statements of more than 100 people have been recorded by the ACB officials including that of Solanki, former Agriculture Minister Sanghani, their personal secretaries and contractors.
Solanki allegedly awarded contracts of 58 reservoirs to his favourite parties without inviting tenders through a Government resolution of 2004. According to resolution, it is mandatory to invite tenders for awarding fishing contracts. In 2008, Solanki gave licenses on the upset prices for five years. However, after five months following High Court’s intervention, the licences were cancelled.