Trouble for Modi minister

May 22, 2013 |

Ahmedabad

In trouble for Gujarat minister Purshottam Solanki, a special court in Gandhinagar has ordered the Anti-Corruption Bureau to probe the `400-crore fisheries scam in which he is allegedly involved and submit a report within six months.
The Narendra Modi Cabinet had earlier refused to grant sanctions to prosecute Mr Solanki but Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal had overruled it following which a complaint had been filed before the Special Anti-Corruption Bureau Court against Mr Solanki under the Sections 7, 8, 13(1)(d), 31(a), 31(b) and 32 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Special Anti-Corruption Bureau Court Judge G.K. Upadhyay, in his order delivered Monday, directed superintendent of police (SP) Gandhinagar to hand over the investigation to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The court also ordered the ACB to complete its probe by November 29, 2013, and submit a detailed report to the court following which it will take further action.
The order came on a complaint by Ishaq Maradia who had alleged that Mr Solanki, minister of state for fisheries in 2009, was involved in `400 crore scam by illegally granting contracts for fishing in 58 reservoirs across the state.
Ishaq Maradia, after the initial refusal of the state government to grant sanctions, had also moved Gujarat high court which in turn had directed the state government to decide the matter at the state Cabinet level.
The state Cabinet, under the leadership of chief minister Narendra Modi, had refused to grant sanction to prosecute Mr Solanki.

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