The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Uttar Pradesh Police has intensified its probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds by Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, an NGO associated with Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid.
The EOW is believed to have raided at least 17 offices of the Social Welfare Department to unearth facts related to the camps organised by the NGO in Uttar Pradesh.
The team interrogated those concerned in the office of the District Welfare Officer for Differently-abled in Kannauj and also cross-checked the list of beneficiaries. Prima facie, most of the names were found to be bogus. The officials then fanned out into villages for address verification.
Another team also launched a similar exercise at Farrukhabad.
Director General of Police of the EOW Subrat Tripathi, however, maintained that no raid was conducted and that the inquiry was already on to ascertain the facts.
“It (inquiry) can go up to six months,” said Tripathi, while explaining that the EOW’s local wings have been asked to inquire about the veracity of the camps held.
The probe was ordered in July after trust officials reportedly approached the UP Government for it last year, taking into account complaints of irregularities in conduction of camps.
Taking his attack on Khurshid forward, Kejriwal on Monday countered the proof produced by the minister to prove his innocence.
At the press conference, the IAC leader said an independent inquiry could expose the truth, but not by the UP Government as Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav himself was facing CBI probe and as the “Union Law Minister decides many things for the CBI”. ”Obviously, Mulayam’s son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav would not allow free and fair investigation,” Kejriwal added.
Sources close to Akhilesh later told Express that he was livid with Kejriwal for making such irresponsible charges. “Nothing can be done unless the inquiry is over,” Akhilesh said here.
Lucknow University Registrar J B Singh, who was the chief development officer of Mainpuri where the camps in question were held, said: “I do not remember whether I attended the camps.”
Sources in the Congress circles told ‘Express’ that the Khurshid family suspected one of their former constituency managers of leaking information to media.
Meanwhile, social activist Nutan Thakur filed a PIL in the High Court seeking probe into the allegations. The court would hear the case on October 17.
