Patna, (Samajweekly) The Bihar government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seems to be on the backfoot over questions raised by the party’s MLA from Darbhanga, Sanjay Saraogi.
Saraogi raised questions related to the alleged corruption of Superintending Engineer Anil Kumar, deployed in the rural development department of Bihar government.
Saraogi said that despite an FIR levelling corruption charges against Anil Kumar being registered in Darbhanga, the department is yet to suspend him.
“The FIR was registered against Kumar on August 28. Yet he has not been suspended. Also, the vigilance bureau had conducted raids at his residence in Darbhanga and seized Rs 68 lakh cash, besides recovering Rs 18 lakh from his car,” Saraogi said in the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday.
“Despite the serious charges facing Kumar, the department has allowed him to manipulate things and destroy evidence. Why didn’t the rural development ministry suspend him,” Saraogi asked, as he pointed out that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar always advocates zero tolerance against corruption in the state.
After Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha directed state minister Jayant Raj to reply on the matter, the latter said that Kumar went on medical leave soon after the alleged corruption charges surfaced against him.
Not convinced, the Speaker directed Raj to submit an action taken report to the House at the earliest.
Saraogi also urged Sinha to form a three-member committee to probe the matter, to which the Speaker replied that the House will form a committee if the action taken report is not satisfactory.
