BHOPAL: The arrest of Srinivas Raju Mantena, contractor of the Water Resources Department and that of his assistant Aditya Tripathi by the Enforcement Directorate, has silenced the BJP and the Congress.
The arrest was made in connection with the e-tender scam. The probe agency also sent a notice to former chief secretary of the state M Gopal Reddy and summoned him to its office.
The Congress has been raising the e-tender scam for long time. An FIR was registered in connection with the scam during its rule.
Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh recently made several statements on e-tender scam, but after ED has begun to probe the case, everyone has gone into silence.
Mantena has done a lot of work during the Congress rule. He is dealing with some big projects of the Water Resources Department.
This is the reason why the Congress has kept mum over the issue. Tripathi’s name is on the list containing the names of those who gave money to the Congress. Therefore, the Congress has kept away from saying anything about Tripathi.
Reddy was appointed chief secretary during the Congress rule. Earlier, Reddy was posted to the Water Resources Department. As Reddy is close to the Congress leaders, they are tight-lipped about the scam.
The BJP, too, has been maintaining a stoic silence over the money laundering and bribe during the 15-month rule of the Congress.
Therefore, the leaders of the ruling party have given a wide berth to making comments on the arrest of Mantena and Tripathi.
The BJP leaders were accusing the Congress government of committing financial irregularities.
They sought votes on the issue of corruption in the Congress rule.
Although the chief secretary of the Congress government has been charged with corruption, they are silent.
Both the political parties are so puzzled by the ED probe that they do not know where the needle of inquiry is going to move. For that reason, both the parties are tongue-tied about the issue.
