New Delhi: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju is in the eye of a storm with the Congress accusing him of involvement in a Rs 450-crore “scam” over payments to sub-contractors, including his “cousin”, working for a 600MW hydel project in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Congress sought the resignation of Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, after releasing an audio tape on Tuesday purportedly featuring his “cousin” and a top vigilance officer. The tape includes a purported conversation the minister’s “cousin” and a sub-contractor for the project Goboi Rijiju had with Satish Verma, Chief Vigilance Officer of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).
Goboi is heard dropping the name of his minister “cousin” and assuring Verma of a promotion if he cleared the hurdles in payment of bills for supply of boulders to the Kameng Hydro-electric Power Project.
Verma, an IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre, had submitted a 129-page report to the CBI, the CVC and the Ministry of Power in July alleging an “elaborate conspiracy” involving contractors, NEEPCO officials and the district administration to dupe the government to the tune of Rs 450 crore.
In a late-night statement, the power ministry said Verma had filed the “back-dated” reports after being “relieved of duties” on July 5, 2016. It said he was charge-sheeted for continued violation of the Central Vigilance Commission instructions and violation of conduct rules for “not performing his duties with due diligence and care”.
Rijiju had written a letter to Power Minister Piyush Goyal in November last year urging him to look into the matter “sympathetically on priority”.
“Kiren Rijiju has no right to continue in office,” Randeep Singh Surjewala, in charge of the Congress’ communications department, said.
Rijiju refutes corruption charges
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju refuted the Congress’ charges involving him and a contractor in a hydro-electric project in Arunachal Pradesh. Denying that he had written to Power Minister Piyush Goyal last November to help his “brother”, he said he had intervened after the local people had told him that their payments had been held up for two months.
(Agencies)
