Bhopal: A minister’s attempt to shelter a tainted excise officer in the Assembly left many Congress legislators frowning. Commercial tax minister Brijendra Singh Rathore appeared in the House protecting assistant commissioner, excise, Sanjiv Dubey, an accused in 42-crore scam that took place in Indore.
MLA Pradeep Patel, raising the issue through call-attention-motion, said the officer who was suspended in a scam, has been appointed as assistant commissioners, excise in Dhar even as a department inquiry was underway against him. Minister, replying to his party MLA claimed the officer was reinstated by the previous government and posted him at Dewas. The current government has simply transferred him to Dhar, clarified the minister.
Not buying his clarification, Patel went on to say a report of auditor general has also been received and the then officers were found responsible for the scam. Patel demanded suspension of the officer. Congress MLA Rajyavardhan Singh and Sukhlal Kushwaha too supported Patel and demanded Dubey’s suspension.
Singh said, if Chief Minister Kamal Nath claims his government as honest then the corrupt officer should be transferred from Dhar. While minister said that the officer was good and that is why he was transferred to Dhar. Singh even said that if the previous government had protected them then the current government should take action against them.
Leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava too demanded to remove Dubey from Dhar and post him to a far-off place. Bhargava said Dubey should be either posted at Sidhi, or Shahdol. Despite pressure the minister did not take any action against Dubey.
