SIT grills Kishore

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 22

The SIT, which is investigating the NH-74 scam that originated in Udham Singh Nagar, interrogated former Uttarakhand PCC chief Kishore Upadhyaya.

An official from the SIT said that he was questioned regarding the bank account that was opened in the party’s name prior to the Uttarakhand Assembly elections last year.

It is alleged that several crores of rupees were transferred in the bank account opened with the SBI in Dehradun received in compensation in lieu of the land acquisition for the broadening of the highway.

Kishore Upadhyaya, while admitting that the SIT did approach him, said that he was being targeted politically. “I have given all the details of the account and there is nothing legal about it. The BJP is trying to target us politically,” he said.On the other hand, the BJP that has been finger-pointing at the Congress ever since the scam surfaced said that more names will emerge as the SIT progresses. “The SIT is doing a good work and no political leader would be spared in case his name surfaces in relation to the scam,” said Ajay Bhatt, BJP chief.

Significantly, the Rs-300 crore scam took place between 2011 and 2013 during which land use was changed for acquiring the land for broadening the highway.