Cong demands Chhattisgarh CM's resignation over 'rice scam'

The Congress today demanded resignation of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh in the wake of reports on alleged PDS rice scam in the state and demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the scandal.
"What has come to fore in the rice scam are very very serious allegations, which are startling and frightening," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.
The Congress leader alleged that the documents seized by the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have the address and name of the CM's sister-in-law and personal secretary and OSD.
Noting that the nature of the allegation was "deplorable and pitiable", he alleged that commissions were paid by millers for adulteration of bad rice in good rice meant for distribution under the Public Distribution System.

Singhvi demanded a time-bound inquiry into the scam by a sitting High Court judge or sitting Supreme Court judge and Singh to quit as CM to ensure that it is a fair and impartial probe.
Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has always talked about zero tolerance to corruption, should speak out on the matter and not remain silent, he said.

Taking a dig at Singh as well as his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chauhan, he said that both were brother-in-arms. "While one is at the centre of controversy over the rice scam, Chauhan is facing the heat over the 'Vyapam' scam."

Asked whether the party was also demanding Chauhan's resignation, he said the party had earlier done so but without any success.
Some media reports have claimed that the Chhattisgarh ACB, which is probing irregularities in supply of rice for the public distribution system (PDS) in the state, is scrutinising an alleged balance sheet which lists, among others, senior IAS officers and personal assistants to the food minister and chief secretary as beneficiaries of illegal commissions.
The five-page balance sheet, recovered by the ACB from the office of Girish Sharma, personal assistant to Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation managing director Anil Tuteja (Sharma has since been suspended and Tuteja removed), also has references to individuals which, it is alleged, point to Singh's wife, sister-in-law and personal assistant. But the ACB says the inferences being drawn to involve the CM are not correct.