CM likely to meet Central BJP leaders for selective CBI probe

DEHRADUN:To blunt the attack of the Opposition Congress on his government’s handling of the NH-74 highway scam, Chief Minister TS Rawat is likely to meet Central leaders with a request of giving a go-ahead for a selective CBI probe by keeping the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) out of the probe.

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 24

To blunt the attack of the Opposition Congress on his government’s handling of the NH-74 highway scam, Chief Minister TS Rawat is likely to meet Central leaders with a request of giving a go-ahead for a selective CBI probe by keeping the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) out of the probe.

This would mean a probe would be restricted to the state leaders and the culpability of the state officials, if any.

According to senior officials, Chief Minister Rawat will be leaving for New Delhi soon and is likely to raise the issue with Union Minister of Highways Nitin Gadkari. Incidentally, Gadkari’s letter to the Uttarakhand government stating that filing cases against officials of the National Highway Authority of India would allegedly affect their morale, has created a storm.

While the Uttarakhand government has been maintaining that the government is in favour of a CBI probe, there has not been any headway and the letter written by the Union minister for keeping the National Highway officers out of the ambit of CBI probe as it would affect their morale has left the Chief Minister fending his government on the probe.

“We are in favour of a CBI probe and have recommended the same,” is all that the Chief Minister has been reiterating.

It is believed that in case a go-ahead is given for a selective CBI probe the Chief Minister hopes to salvage his government’s image on corruption.

However, the Opposition is not expected to let go on the issue, as it has been questioning the intention of the government from day one.

“The state government is trying to protect political leaders and officials involved in the scam. The letter written by Minister Nitin Gadkari on the issue to the state government has further given credence to this claim,” said Pritam Singh, PCC chief.

Significantly, six PCS officers have been chargesheeted and an inquiry is on, but beyond the initial inquiry no headway has been made.

According to senior officials, Chief Minister Rawat will be leaving for New Delhi soon and is likely to raise the issue with Union Minister of Highways Nitin Gadkari. Incidentally, Gadkari's letter to the Uttarakhand government stating that filing cases against officials of the NHAI would allegedly affect their morale, has created a storm.