Tripura BJP Accuses CPI (M) of Staying in Power with 'Looted' Funds

Agartala, October 16, 2019:

The Tripura BJP has accused the CPI (M), which was ousted from power in the latest Assembly Polls, of staying in power in 2013 using money looted from various Government schemes and undertakings.

Tripura Law minister Ratan Lal Nath reiterated that before the assembly election in Tripura, the BJP had committed to the voters that every corruption case will be investigated, and those who found guilty they will be punished. Now, the BJP government is fulfilling their election promises, he said. The Law Minister made this comment in a press conference on Wednesday morning.

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MP Pratima Bhowmik alleged that 228 crore rupees had been looted through the 13 construction works of the PWD in the year 2008-09.

She claimed that the cost was 638 crore 40 lakhs rupees of 13 projects, but they companies and the construction firms were paid extra 228 crore 8 lakhs rupees.

Through the vigilance investigation, it was revealed that the huge amount of money had been misused. The MP alleged that, former Minister Badal Choudhury, former PWD chief engineer Sunil Bhowmik and the then principal secretary of PWD, Yash Pal Singh, were involved in that scam.

Pratima Bhowmik said, Badal choudhury’s bail petition will be rejected by the District court and added that he should be locked behind bars.

It is notable that, the anticipatory bail petition of Badal Choudhury will hear by the District and session judge on Wednesday.

Pratima Bhowmik said, “CPIM said that they are the party for the poor, but the scam shows how the CPI(M) government looted the money of poor people in Tripura.”

The MP further alleged that the money which was looted through the PWD scam during the 2008-09 financial year, was spent in 2013 assembly election and with the help of that money, the CPI(M) regained power in 2013.

It may be mentioned here that on Sunday nigh, the vigilance department lodged an FIR against Badal Choudhury, Sunil Bhowmik and Yash Pal Singh. The case was registered on an alleged Rs 600 crore PWD scam. The FIR was filed after gathering observations from the PWD and a vigilance inquiry on this issue. Sunil Bhowmik was arrested, but police did not nab Badal Chudhury after several raids in different locations across the state. On Monday, Badal Choudhury got interim bail from the Court.

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