The West Bengal BJP government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has decided to lodge FIRs against leaders and ministers, including former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, if they are found to be named in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India's report on the alleged Amphan cyclone relief scam during the previous Trinamool Congress regime in the state.
Addressing the post-budget discussion session in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said his government would lodge FIRs against those found involved in the Amphan relief scam based on the CAG report.
"No one will be spared even if he or she is a minister, a chief minister or a big political leader. I will recommend the hon'ble Governor directly for lodging FIRs against those persons who are involved in the scam as per the CAG report," Suvendu announced in the House.
"Our government is very clear and transparent in this matter. The CAG report will be tabled in the House on 25 July and detailed discussions in connection with the issue will also be held in the next session. Decisive decisions will also be taken following recommendations made during the discussions," he said.
"Tabling of the CAG report and holding discussions on its findings in the House are mandatory. But, you know that this was not done regularly during the regime of the previous government in the state. Not only the CAG report but the Lokayukta reports were also not tabled by the then government, though that is mandatory," he added.
The Narendra Modi government at the Centre had provided financial assistance of Rs 3,750 crore for relief works to the erstwhile Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee in 2020.
Raising the issue of alleged large-scale irregularities in the utilisation of Central funds, the Chief Minister said, "Modiji had given huge funds in two phases during Amphan. A petition was filed in the Calcutta High Court because of the massive corruptions in connection with the relief funds. With directive of the court a special CAG investigation was conducted during that period but the previous government did not table the report in the House."
No legal steps were taken against those named in the CAG inquiry despite its recommendations, he alleged, while assuring that a special Assembly session would be held to discuss the CAG report after obtaining the Governor's clearance.
Cyclone Amphan, with wind speeds of more than 130 kmph, had ravaged Gangetic West Bengal, mainly the South and North 24 Parganas districts, in May 2020.
There had been allegations of misappropriation of Central funds and corruption in the distribution of relief material and reconstruction of damaged houses.
Large-scale corruption charges were also made in connection with the South 24 Parganas' Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency represented by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.
It is not yet known whether the special CAG inquiry report has mentioned anything about the Amphan relief scam in the Diamond Harbour area.
