‘Tainted’ babu named OSD to new MP labour minister, triggers uproar
BHOPAL: A senior official of the labour department, LP Pathak, accused in a corruption case, has been tasked the officer on special duty (OSD) to Madhya Pradesh’s labour minister and senior BJP leader Prahlad Patel.
On November 8, 2023, just nine days before the assembly polls in the state, the anti-corruption watchdog in MP– Lokayukta Special Police Establishment – wrote to the principal secretary (labour) for the sanction to prosecute deputy labour commissioner (Labour Office-Indore) LP Pathak in a 2014 corruption case.
The letter written by Director General (Lokayukta Special Police Establishment) to the PS (Labour) mentioned that following investigations into the concerned corruption case, the accusation of corruption against Pathak were found to be prima facie true.
Owing to it, the anti-corruption watchdog had sought the state labour department’s sanction to prosecute Pathak in the court in the 2014 case. The correspondence seeking official sanction of the state government to prosecute the deputy labour commissioner in the 2014 corruption case, happened when the model code of conduct for the assembly polls was in force.
However, just two months later, on January 9, 2024, Pathak was tasked as OSD to the state’s newly appointed labour minister Prahlad Patel. Besides getting the responsibility of OSD to the minister, Pathak will continue to shoulder his previous responsibilities as deputy labour commissioner.
Patel, the former MP and ex-Union minister, was among the seven MPs fielded by the BJP in the November 17, 2023 assembly polls and is currently one of the senior-most ministers of Mohan Yadav-headed cabinet. His minister portfolios include panchayat and rural development, besides the labour department.
According to official figures with the state’s anti-corruption watchdog, 279 government employees were nabbed allegedly taking bribes in 2022, which was 11% higher than the corresponding figures of 252 for 2021. As per the figures the number of accused in corruption cases under trial in courts has risen by 26% owing to delay in government sanction to probe and prosecute employees in corruption cases.
2014 case
Deputy labour commissioner (Labour Office-Indore) LP Pathak was involved in a 2014 corruption case. On November 8, 2023, just nine days before the assembly polls in the state, the anti-corruption watchdog in MP– Lokayukta Special Police Establishment – wrote to the principal secretary (labour) for the sanction to prosecute Pathak. However, two months later, he was tasked as OSD to the minister