The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Rajasthan is not working under pressure from any quarter and is an independent body, its chief has said in the wake of a probe into alleged irregularities in a land deal that has seen opposition Congress level charges of "political vendetta".
"ACB is as independent a body as the CBI and its decision are subject to judicial scrutiny in any court. ACB, or any investigating agency, does not work under the pressure of any government anywhere," Director General of Police (ACB), Navdeep Singh, told PTI.
Earlier this month, ACB claimed to have busted a land scam related to the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) in which former Congress UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal has been summoned for interrogation on October 26.
A retired IAS officer, former Additional Principal Secretary GS Sandhu, has also been summoned in the 'Ekal Patta' (single land deed) case and, meanwhile, has sought anticipatory bail.
An RAS officer, Onkar Mal Saini, is also wanted in the case while ACB has arrested Nishkam Diwakar, another RAS officer who has since been suspended, along with one Shailendra Garg, owner of a construction company.
Ekal Patta of about 14 Beegha (40,000 yards) was granted to a construction company allegedly at a throwaway price by flouting rules of JDA and Rajasthan Tenancy Act, as per the case registered over an FIR in this connection.
A slugfest has commenced between Congress and ruling BJP over the land scam issue with the opposition party claiming that the government was pursuing a "political vendetta" against former minister Dhariwal.
BJP state president Ashok Parnami, in his reaction, said that the Vasundhara Raje government was merely completing the unfinished business of the previous Congress government.
