Transfer of Katni superintendent of police has caused a flutter as it came in the middle of investigation into an alleged multi-crore hawala 'scam'.
State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh and state BJP general secretary Ajay Pratap Singh today dismissed reports that SP Gaurav Tiwari was shunted out yesterday at the behest of state minister and mining baron Sanjay Pathak as he was carrying out the investigation diligently.
"That was just a routine government transfer and nothing should be read into it," the Home Minister and the general secretary told reporters here separately on the sidelines of the ongoing state BJP executive meet.
"Tiwari had done excellent job in naxal-affected Balaghat district earlier. He has been transferred to a big district Chhindwara from Katni," they said.
When asked about the reports seeking to link Pathak, MoS (Independent Charge) with the hawala case, both the leaders said, "Whosoever is guilty he is going to be punished in the case."
The case pertains to opening of a number of forged accounts in a bank in Katni district.
When contacted, Pathak said, "I have no connection in any cases in Katni. In future too, my name won't figure in any case I assure. In all cases, thorough investigations are on and the guilty will be punished severely."
"Was anybody transferred from small district to bigger one?" the minister asked when asked about the police officer's transfer.
"I demand speedy investigation into the (hawala) case. I will fully cooperate with the government as well as in investigation," he said.
Pathak alleged that opposition Congress was levelling baseless allegations in this regard.
Meanwhile, Tiwari's transfer led to people staging protests at some places in Katni district seeking revocation of the order against the "upright officer". Social media too was abuzz with messages against the transfer.
Tiwari had joined as SP on July 5 last year.
Pathak, a Congress turncoat, was made a junior minister in BJP cabinet last year.
Police had registered the case on the complaint of one Rajnish Tiwari against coal traders Satish Saravangi and Manish Saravangi.
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