Breaking his silence on the third day of the release of the alleged Priyadarshini Bank pay off CD, Chief Minister
Dr Raman Singh not only questioned the veracity of the electronic device, but also put the accuser of the alleged pay off in to dock, saying that the person himself is an accused of Rs 30 crore scam. Notably, Chief Minister Dr Singh was on Mungeli visit Monday to inaugurate a development project where talking to media persons he said that there was hardly any strength in the allegation levelled by the Congress leaders. Even then the state government is clear on this issue and will examine the veracity of the statements made in the CD. To a question of scribes, the chief minister ruled out any impact of this CD on the ensuing Assembly polls in the State.
It is worth mentioning that after the release of a CD of Narco test of the now bankrupt Priyadarshini Bank’s manager Umesh Sinha who allegedly said that he paid Rs 1 crore each to the Chief Minister and four of his cabinet colleagues, a flurry of activities is seen in the state politics with ruling side in defensive mode. Four ministers –Brijmohan Agrawal, Rajesh Munat, Ramvichar Netam and Amar Agrwal Monday reached New Delhi to meet Central leaders of BJP. They are scheduled to not only give their clarification to central leadership on the issue but also devise ways to give befitting reply to opposition Congress which is continuously making baseless allegations against BJP specially after Jeeram Valley Maoist attack on Congress convoy on May 25.
At the same time, spokesman of the State BJP Shivratan Sharma in a press conference questioned the silence of Congress on this issue for the last 7 years when the bank scam was busted by the BJP government. But now that Assembly poll is approaching the party has started levelling baseless allegations. He charged that from chairman to directors of the Indira Priyadashini Bank were Congress leaders and their relatives how come then the BJP leaders could be involved in the scam, he asked. Meanwhile, the Congress leaders in state stepping up pressure on the government demanded resignation of ministers on moral ground and CBI probe in to the allegation levelled in the CD. They also held dharna, protest in the constituency of PWD minister Brijmohan Agrawal and burnt effigies of ministers at several place in the city.