PUDUCHERRY: With the Prime Minister’s Office giving its green light to the Enforcement Directorate for questioning Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Iqbal Singh in the Hasan Ali case, speculation is rife here on his next move.
While the Congress in Delhi on Monday had said that it was up to the LG to take a call on putting in his papers, there was no word from Raj Niwas on the future course of action. Iqbal Singh, who had earlier said that he would stay put in Delhi till the matter was settled, returned quietly to Puducherry on Tuesday. Raj Niwas officials were tight-lipped on whether the LG would explain his position to the press. “We will let you know,” was their terse response. The sources also refused to comment when asked whether the Lt Governor was putting in his papers.
If he does not resign, he is likely to be questioned by the ED officials here in a couple of days on his alleged links with suspected money launderer Hasan Ali Khan. The officials are likely to arrive in a couple of days. But if he does choose to quit, he may have to go to the ED headquarters to face questions on the issue. Several political parties in Puducherry demanded the recall of Singh as he was under the scanner for several controversies since he took over in 2009. Puducherry AIADMK secretary A Anbalagan urged the President to recall Singh “to save the constitutional sanctity” of the gubernatorial post. CPI’s Puducherry unit secretary Nara Kalainathan opined that it did not seem like the inquiry into the case was making any progress.
Kalainathan also demanded an enquiry by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) into the files signed by Singh, while discharging his duties as Lieutenant Governor.
The CPI also expressed suspicion over certain irregularities allegedly with regard to global tenders, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a medical college in Karaikal, land for a Gurudwara and property acquired by Singh in the white town area.