'Corruption complaints against the minister are baseless': MP Dept

Bhopal, June 30 (IANS) In the wake of serious corruption allegations tied to the Rs 30,000 crore Jal Jeevan Mission, the Madhya Pradesh Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, which had launched an internal probe against its Minister Sampatiya Uike, has declared the complaint “baseless.”

The move came after former legislator Kishor Samrite filed a formal complaint with the Prime Minister’s Office.

Taking swift action, Chief Engineer Sanjay Andhavan had directed the probe. However, the tide seemed to shift when officials later described the allegations as “baseless.”

In a statement issued on Monday evening, Chief Engineer Andhavan dismissed the allegations as “baseless, fabricated, and malicious.”

Citing a report from the Executive Engineer of Balaghat, he stated that no irregularities were found under the Jal Jeevan Mission and that the complaint relied solely on a previously disclosed RTI response, lacking any new evidence.

According to the complaint, the minister allegedly received a substantial commission from funds allocated for rural drinking water projects.

The complaint also implicates a former Chief Engineer, accused of siphoning off a large sum through his subordinate. Additional allegations include ghost projects, fake completion certificates, and unauthorised fund withdrawals in districts such as Betul, Chhindwara, and Balaghat.

In response, the Chief Engineer’s office issued directives to all PHE Chief Engineers and the Project Director of MP Jal Nigam to submit detailed reports within seven days.

The inquiry was set to examine the utilisation of central funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission and investigate the assets of Minister Uike and the Executive Engineer of Mandla, who allegedly deposited funds on her behalf.

Despite the department’s rebuttal, complainant Kishor Samrite maintained that the response addressed only the Balaghat district, whereas the inquiry letter itself called for a state-wide investigation.

He announced plans to file a petition in court to compel a comprehensive government response. The case has sparked political and administrative ripples, with calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe gaining momentum.

--IANS

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