Solicitor General made false statements in PDS 'scam', alleges Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel
New Delhi, October 21
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday alleged that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had levelled “false” and “mischievous” allegations against him in the Supreme Court with “political motives” to malign the CM’s image.
“The conspiracy to malign me will be met with appropriate retaliation,” Baghel said. At a recent Supreme Court hearing of an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea seeking transfer of a Prevention of Money Laundering Act case related to the ‘Nagrik Apurti Nigam’ (NAN) scam involving state government agencies outside Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Solicitor General Mehta had, while appearing for the agency, cited a purported WhatsApp chat of an alleged aide of Baghel, and insinuated that the CM had met a high court judge days before the grant of bail to some accused in the case.
On Thursday, the Chhattisgarh Government told the Supreme Court that the CM never met any high court judge. “The SG told the apex court that I had met the judge and attempted to influence the orders. Asked to name the source of the information, the SG said it was based on a WhatsApp conversation between two persons. This whole thing is so laughable,” Baghel said, adding that it was not appropriate for a person holding the post of an SG to make such comments about a CM before the Supreme Court.
“I never met any judge,” said the CM, in the capital for the state government event “The National Tribal Dance Festival”. Reacting to the SG’s remarks, the CM also tweeted, “It is extremely unfortunate that a person holding the highest constitutional posts like Solicitor General is making false and mischievous allegations for political motives. I would like to clarify that I have never met any judge and requested any favours for any accused. This is a conspiracy to malign my political image and put the judiciary under pressure, which will be retaliated appropriately.”
The ED, meanwhile, is seeking transfer of the matter outside of Chhattisgarh and also cancellation of anticipatory bail granted earlier to some accused in the case.
The controversy
- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited a purported WhatsApp chat of an alleged aide of Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel
- The SC was hearing an ED plea seeking transfer of a case related to alleged PDS scam outside Chhattisgarh
- It was alleged that the CM met a High Court judge days before the grant of bail to some accused in the case
