Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday challenged his predecessor Raman Singh to prove that the investigation into the alleged Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) scam was conducted with the intention of revenge politics.
His statement comes after the prime accused in the case and former manager of the State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, Shiv Shankar Bhatt, had submitted an affidavit under Section 164 in a court here levelling charges against Singh and others.
"Shiv Shankar Bhatt was in Raman Singh's staff. He had appointed him in NAN. Where is the conspiracy in this when his own person has given a statement against him? Raman Singh says that the case has been registered on a criminal's statement. Was he sleeping when the investigation was done against P Chidambaram on a criminal's statement?" Singh told media here.
"He talks about politics of revenge. I challenge him to prove if we have conducted any inquiry on the basis of revenge against him. All the FIRs and investigations were done during his time. I challenge him to prove that these had been done to seek revenge," he added.
Speaking to , Raman Singh had alleged that the Congress-led state government was resorting to revenge as part of a political conspiracy in the alleged scam.
"Congress is indulged in distorting the facts. An SIT was formed on NAN scam to save somebody... I feel that the state government is trying to save the accused, who are involved in this. The policy and intention with which his government is working is purely to take revenge as part of a political conspiracy. They are trying to defame the BJP. All these fake cases will be exposed in the court," Singh said.
In his affidavit, Bhatt claimed that under pressure by Raman Singh, former state minister Punnulal Mohle and a few others, 21 lakh fake ration cards were made in 2013, which allegedly caused a loss of about Rs 3,000 crore to the government.
( With inputs from ANI )