Digvijay Will Not Ask Scam Accused To Quit

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh yesterday said that there was no question at present of asking for the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Pyarelal Kanwar and cooperative minister B R Yadav for their alleged involvement in the land scam.

A first information report (FIR) had been filed against the two ministers by the Lokayukta in connection with alleged irregularities in allotting prime land at Madhataal in Jabalpur.

On his arrival from Guna, Singh said that the Lokayukta had not made any recommendation saying that the two ministers should resign.

The Chief Minister said that no one should be treated as guilty unless he was proved to be so and added that the Lokayukta had merely directed an investigation to be conducted into the allotment of land.

He said that as per the Lokayukta, investigation would have to be conducted by an officer of the rank of superintendent of police.

The Chief Minister said that the land in question had been sold by a widow in 1984 to the government and added that the process to sell it to the Motor Parts Association had begun then.

Singh said that he did not disapprove of any order of the Lokayukta, who was a man of high judicial standing.

The Chief Minister said that the question of asking Kanwar and Yadav to resign would arise only if there was a move to file a chargesheet in the case.

Singh said that investigations into the land allotment would now begin and pointed out that only on their completion, something could be decided in the matter.

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta had filed an FIR against these two ministers and five senior Indian Administrative (IAS) officers on January for alleged irregularities committed in allotting prime land costing over Rs 13 crore for only Rs 16 lakh to the Motor Parts Association at Madhataal in Jabalpur.

The registration of the FIR had led to a furore giving rise to the speculation that the two ministers might have to quit.