In a significant move ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, Justice (retd) B C Kandpal, who is heading one-man commission to investigate 68 alleged scams of the previous Congress government, has expressed his desire to quit.
The move came just few days after justice Kandpal, a retired high court judge, completed investigations in 60 scams and submitted a report in this regard to the government recommending action in 17 cases.
Justice Kandpal sent a letter to chief secretary Subhash Kumar expressing his desire to be relived from the commission of inquiry saying that he is overburdened with other works. Justice Kandpal is also heading the state consumer dispute redressal forum.
Justice Kandpal has also asked the government to appoint someone else in his place in order to investigate the remaining eight cases where the inquiry is incomplete. “We have received the letter of Justice Kandpal and it has been sent to the chief minister for further action,” said Kumar.
In the election-driven move, the government on Tuesday directed the vigilance department to initiate action recommended by justice Kandpal into 17 alleged scams of the previous Congress government. The commission found no evidence in 43 scandals.
Justice Kandpal commission has found irregularities in 17 cases either at the level of public servants or the department level during 2002 to 2007 when Congress was at power.
Chief Minister B C Khanduri had set up the inquiry commission in September 2007 to prepare reports on the 56 alleged scams of the previous Congress government which include alleged irregularities in leasing out of horticulture gardens and purchase of computers in various departments. Later, the scope of the commission was enlarged to 68 scams.
The BJP which has launched a series of anti-corruption measures is coming under attack from Congress leaders, who are demanding action against former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and others in all those alleged scams which took place under the BJP regime.
