Former Manager of Chhattisgarh Civil Supplies department Shiv Shankar Bhatt in a written statement before a local court alleged that former Chief Minister Raman Singh, former Minister Punnulal Mohle and few top BJP functionaries were involved in civil supplies scam that had caused loss of Rs 3,000 crore to State in 2013-14.
Notably, Bhatt was arrested in 2015 in connection with a corruption case at civil supplies corporation.
In the statement given before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at district court Raipur under oath he claimed that he was privy to diversion of Rs 5 crore in cash to BJP party office during 2013 State Assembly election.
The cash was given to the party office as per the directive of Raman Singh and Mohle, Bhatt claimed in the statement.
He also claimed to have witnessed handing over of Rs 1 crore in cash to Punnulal Mohle as ‘election fund’ in 2013.
In the statement Bhatt asserted that in 2014, former Managing Director of civil supplies corporation Kaushlendra Singh had provided Rs 3 crore in cash to Veena Singh, wife of Raman Singh, at her residence in 2014.
According to Bhatt, in 2014 despite surplus stock of 9 lakh metric tons, former CM Raman Singh had pressurised departmental officers to purchase 10 lakh ton of rice. Singh who then held the portfolio of state finance minister had released an order for issuing Rs 236 crore as compensation against the purchase without taking Cabinet’s approval.
On the intervening night of August 6 and 7, 2013 the former CM had called a meeting of officers at his residence and had told them not to intervene in the matter or be ready to face the music, Bhatt claimed in his statement.
Bhatt has also claimed former OSD to Raman Singh Vikram Sisodia was also instrumental in supplying money to the then CM.