CM received Rs 500 Cr kickbacks on Rattle project, says PDP

‘Palace worth Rs 20 Cr coming up at Gupkar; secret funds worth Rs 26 Cr drawn in days’

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 25: For the first time in the last 20 months of the National Conference-led coalition government, principal opposition party, PDP, today leveled serious charges of his involvement in corruption against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his confidantes. A group of the PDP’s MLAs, headed by Nizam-ud-din Bhat, alleged that Chief Minister had taken sizeable kickbacks of Rs 500 Cr from a private company on account of allotment of Rattle power project, swindled secret funds worth Rs 26 Cr in the last few months while as the government was currently raising a palatial house worth Rs 20 Cr at his private premises on Gupkar Road.

Apparently outraged over the state-sponsored tirade, carried through paid advertisements in newspapers, PDP today launched a direct offensive on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. On the directions of the party top brass, including Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti, a group of the PDP MLAs leveled serious charges of corruption on Chief Minister at a hurriedly organized news conference. MLAs Nizam-ud-din Bhat, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Rafi Ahmed Mir, Mohammad Khalil Bandh, Abdul Haq Khan, Abdul Razaq Zawoora and Pirzada mansoor Hussain besides the party spokesperson Naeem Akhtar and Srinagar District President, Mohammad Ashraf, participated in the news conference.

While firing a salvo, Nizam-ud-din Bhat alleged that Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, had taken bribe money of Rs 500 Cr on account of allotment of Rattle Power Project from a private company in recent past. In the thick of current political turbulence and violent street demonstrations in Kashmir, Government had allotted Rs 10,000 Cr power project earlier last month. Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department and M/s GVK Development Projects Limited signed Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for procurement of power on long term basis from 690 MW Ratle Hydro Electric Project.

The agreement was signed by the Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Mr. B. R. Sharma and Chief Financial Officer of M/S GVK Development Projects Limited, Mr. Isaac George. The project would be constructed in Village Drabhashala 25 kilometers downstream of Kishtwar on Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis. It would come into existence through private participation for a period of 35 years excluding 7 years of construction. The project will be reverted to the State on payment of a terminal value of Rs. 380 crore. It is expected to be completed by 2017.

Bhat further alleged that Chief Minister had drawn and swindled huge amount of Rs 26 Cr from his secret funds, allotted to him by the Union Home Ministry, in the last few months. He alleged that the state government was currently raising a palatial house valued at Rs 20 Cr on Mr Omar Abdullah’s private premises on Gupkar Road which, he asserted, was unprecedented in the state’s history. By suggestion, he raised the question as to who would own the bungalow, constructed out of the tax-payers’ money, after Mr Abdullah ceased to be the head of the government. He further alleged that priceless antiques were being clandestinely shifted from the state museum to what he called “Abdullah House” for exquisite decoration of the coming up palace.

“If Government of India reads politics in the current spate of bloodshed and does not realize need to make the Chief Minister accountable, why should it not order a transparent and credible investigation on these charges of corruption?”, Bhat asked. He claimed that Omar Abdullah’s government had failed on all fronts and the only work underway in entire Kashmir valley was the CM’s palatial bungalow. He claimed that labours and masons working on the house had been lodged as state guests at a hotel in Srinagar.

Bhat pointed out that world renowned angioplasty wizard, Dr Fayaz Shawl, had of late leveled allegation of corruption against Chief Minister and his coterie and revealed that a sum of Rs 3 Cr had been demanded from the doctor for permission to raising a heart center. Dr Shawl preferred going back to USA than paying the money allegedly demanded.

Referring to a recent newspaper report, Bhat said that four of Omar Abdullah’s senior Cabinet colleagues had acquired properties worth Crores of Rupees both in India and overseas. He desired to know why State Vigilance Organisation had not carried out any investigation even as the Government had asserted that it would be completed and made public within 10 days.

Bhat claimed that all institutions of accountability and transparency had been demolished under a “sustained plan” during the last 20 months of Omar Abdullah government. He pointed out that notwithstanding the government’s emphasis on eradication of corruption, the State Accountability Commission as well as the State Information Commission were headless and completely nonfunctional.

In its quick reaction from the state government, senior National Conference (NC) leader and Minister of Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, held a news conference at Banquet Hall here this evening. On Chief Minister’s direction, Rather dismissed all the PDP leaders’ allegations against Chief Minister as rubbish. He asserted that the government would soon initiate legal action against the PDP leaders, who had leveled “unsubstantiated allegations” as well as against a newspaper that had carried a story regarding acquisition of Rs 120 Cr worth house in Dubai to defame Ministers of the Cabinet.

Terming the allegation as “baseless, concocted and figment of imagination”, Rather asserted that the bidding process in the allotment of Rattle power project was “most transparent and open”. He said the second bidder Tata Company wass on record to have expressed satisfaction over the allotment of the power project. “The company in a letter to the Chief Minister has mentioned that the bidding process for the project has in fact been benchmark worth emulation for the allotment of hydro electric power projects in the entire country”, he said.

Reacting on the allegation of construction of Rs. 20 crore residential house by the Chief Minister, Mr. Rather said the total estimated cost of the house was only Rs 2 Crore of which Rs. 1.50 Cr had been expended so far. He said that an amount of Rs 5 crore was spent only on the renovation of Chief Minister’s House at Moulana Azad Road while Rs 26 lakhs was spent on the Nowgam Residence by the former Chief Minister of PDP.

The Minister also refuted allegation regarding taking away some of the antiques from Tosha Khana. He said that the accusation was totally false and far from truth. He said none of the antiques had been taken away from the Tosha Khana and the same, he said, could be verified at any point of time.

About involvement of corruption of a Minister as reported in a section of press, Mr. Rather said that Government had directed Vigilance Organization to investigate the matter and report. Meanwhile, he said the newspaper must come up with solid proof and evidence regarding the corruption charges it had raised.

Reacting to the charges of withdrawal of Rs. 26 crore out of CM’s Secret Fund, he said that the total amount of this fund is not even half of the alleged amount, which remains at the disposal. He said the question of withdrawing Rs. 26 crore out of this fund was thus simply ridiculous and far-fetched.

About the allegation against another Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, regarding setting up hospital by a doctor, Rather said that the particular doctor had said that he had generalized the issue and never named Mr. Nasir. The Minister said that Nasir had already received an email from the doctor in which he had apologized for his remarks against him.

He said that it was very unfortunate that the opposition party had stooped so low that it was resorting to politicking at a time when it should have cooperated with the Government in restoring peace and stability in the State. He said it was the time for putting in collective efforts to mitigate sufferings of the people and remove them out of present uncertainty.

The Minister accused the opposition of making political capital in the prevalent situation to further its narrow political ends. He said PDP was vainly striving to destabilize the elected Government, which had been mandated by the people to rule for the full term. He said the opposition party actually aimed at facilitating Governor’s rule in the State and for the purpose it had unleashed baseless and unsubstantiated allegation campaign.

Rather said the Chief Minister would file defamation suit against the PDP to fight the baseless allegations in the court of law. He said both civil and criminal suits would be initiated to seek justice.

END