BJP seeks Raj transport minister's resignation on 'moral ground'

The BJP on Friday demanded resignation of Rajasthan Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on moral ground after a massive corruption racket was busted in his department by Anti-Corruption Bureau.

The party also said the chief minister should sack the minister, if he does not step down on his own.

The transport minister should resign on moral ground. Chief minister talks of zero tolerance against corruption. If the minister does not resign, the chief minister should sack him, BJP MLA and former minster Kali Charan said at a press conference here.

He also demanded from the minister to "clarify" his links with main accused Jaswant Yadav, involved in the racket. The MLA alleged that 40 buses of Yadav, who runs a transport company, were running without permit.

The government should also reveal how many transfer orders were issued in last one year, which officials were transferred repeatedly and how many transfers were cancelled, he said.

The former minister said the Anti-Corruption Bureau took several phone numbers on surveillance and details of these numbers and call records should also be made public.

The ACB on Sunday busted a bribery nexus between Transport Department officials and middlemen involved in taking monthly bribe by intimidating vehicle owners.

The ACB sleuths carried out search operations at several locations of eight transport officers and seven middlemen after four-month long surveillance and seized Rs 1.20 crore cash and property documents and dealing records from them.

The ABC had also made several arrests, including those of a transport inspector and some agents on Sunday.