EOW books Cong leader for irregularities in housing scheme

The Economic Offences Wing of the Chhattisgarh police has registered a case against state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel, his kin and others in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of land under a housing scheme in 1995, an official said today.
However, Baghel has termed the development a political vendetta by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Baghel, his wife Mukteshwari Bai, his mother Bindeshwari, and then officials of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) were booked last week for alleged irregularities in allocation of plots under the Mansarovar Scheme in Bhilai (Durg district), an EOW official told PTI.
The state government had received complaints in this regard earlier, following which the district collector concerned was asked to verify them.

Based on the report of the collector, the government handed over the matter to the EOW to take further action, he said.
In 1995, Baghel, an MLA from Patan constituency in Durg, was an ex-officio member of the SADA which allotted the land under Mansarovar scheme in Bhilai area (erstwhile Madhya Pradesh), he said.

As per the complaint, Baghel allegedly used his political position to get 12 plots, measuring over 8000 square feet, allotted in the name of his wife and mother.
According to the official, those plots were meant for people belonging to lower income group.
Baghel's wife and mother had filed applications along with false information regarding their income seeking plots under the scheme, he said, adding that six plots each were allotted in the name of Baghel's mother and wife in violation of norms.

"The plots, which were to be allotted to 12 poor people, were allocated to only two persons (Baghel's kin)," he said.
The offence has been registered against Baghel, Mukteshwari Bai, Bindeshwari and SADA officials (whose names were not revealed) under sections 13 (1) (D) and 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the official said.
When contacted, Baghel said the case was politically motivated and an attempt to divert the attention of people from "serious corruption" in the state.
"This is nothing but a political vendetta because my party has been raising the issue of corruption by the Raman Singh government in the state," the Congress leader said, adding that he was open to any kind of inquiry.

"I am open to any kind of investigation of my each and every property by any agency. The government should not do politics of deliberately creating trouble for my family members," he said.
Baghel alleged that the case was the fallout of a "nexus between Raman Singh and former chief minister Ajit Jogi to tarnish the image of the Congress party".
"I urge and challenge the chief minister to get the matter investigated in any manner," he added.