Kamal Nath slams Shivraj govt over alleged corruption in Mahakal Lok project

Bhopal, Oct 21 A day after the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta issued notice to 15 officials, including three IAS officers, for alleged corruption in the construction of the Mahakal Lok corridor, the extended part of Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple, former Chief Minister and state Congress chief Kamal Nath on Friday slammed the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government over the charges.

Kamal Nath termed the allegations as serious, and demanded an impartial and high-level inquiry into the matter.

Attacking Chouhan over rampant 'corruption' in the state, Kamal Nath accused the BJP government of making false promises and investing public money in its image making events.

"News of corruption in the construction work of Mahakal Lok is worrying. The sentiments of crores of people have been hurt by this news. There should be an impartial, high-level inquiry. Whoever is guilty should not be spared," Kamal Nath tweeted.

The notices were issued to the 15 officials, including the Ujjain district collector, based on a complaint filed by Mahesh Parmar, the Congress MLA from Tarana Assembly constituency in Ujjain district.

The Congress legislator claimed to have filed the complaint in May this year.

The other two IAS officers are the director of the Ujjain smart city project, Kshij Singh, and Ujjain Municipal Commissioner Anshul Gupta. Notably, Anshul Gupta was transferred from Ujjain five days before the Mahakal Lok was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11.

"A tender was floated for the development of a parking lot, but it was cancelled without any information and a new tender was floated with five times increased money. The tendering process was completely biased as rules were not followed. And it was done by a nexus of senior officials and contractors. I had lodged a complaint in this regard with the Lokayukta department in Bhopal in May this year. I am thankful to the department for taking action in this serious matter," Parmar told on Friday.

The Congress MLA also claimed that murals and statues of Lord Shiva, which have been installed in the newly-constructed Mahakal Lok corridor, were purchased for more than eight times the actual market price.

"The BJP government claimed it has invested over Rs 300 crore in the project, but around 30 per cent of that amount was spent for marketing and advertising," Parmar added.

Sources privy to the development told that the Lokayukta has asked all the 15 officials to submit their reply October 28.

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