Kaushambi (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 10: India Against Corruption (IAC) activist Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday demanded Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid's resignation and his wife Louise Khurshid's immediate arrest after a TV channel reported that a trust owned by the couple forged signatures and stamps of senior officials of several districts in Uttar Pradesh depriving physically challenged people of their due."Yesterday it was exposed by one of the TV channels how Law Minister Salman Khurshid and his wife are involved in defalcation of funds meant for handicapped people. These funds are released by various departments of Government of India," said Kejriwal.
"They were taken by the NGO, which has been floated by the Law Minister and his wife. And rather than distributing this money to the handicapped people, the Law Minister and his wife together have forged the signatures of several government officers which is a very serious crime," he added.
Asserting that it is a non-bailable offence and a cognizable offence under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Kejriwal demanded that an FIR should be immediately registered in connection with this case.
"Mrs Khurshid should be immediately arrested because if she remains outside she would tamper with the evidence and put pressure on various evidences. And the Law Minister should immediately resign," he said.
Kejriwal also asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to ensure that the FIR in connection with this case is registered as soon as possible so that further investigations can be carried out. "We demand from the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh who has said that he will investigate. Investigation will only start after the registration of FIR. So, if it is not done, then there would be a suspicion that is Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh is in cahoots with UPA Government at the Centre; that the Central Government is helping Mulayam Singh with his corruption cases and here whether Akhilesh Yadav is helping Salman Khurshid at the Centre," he said.
The Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, headed by Congress minister and Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, has come under the scanner after a TV channel exposed a scam to the tune of Rs 71 lakh.
According to Aaj Tak report, the Union Ministry for Social Welfare and Empowerment had granted Rs 71.50 lakh to the trust for distributing tricycles and hearing aids to the disabled in 17 districts of U.P.
While, Salman Khurshid is the president of the Trust, his wife Louise Khurshid is the project director.
As per the rules, the trust should have informed the district magistrate, the district social welfare officers prepares and send a list of beneficiaries from districts and the money is disbursed at the camps organized for this purpose, in the presence of district officials.
But reports state that the Trust distributed the equipments under the forged signatures of district welfare officers and the camps were never held.
The Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust is registered at Khurshid's residence in the national capital (4, Gulmohar Avenue, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi) and the minister's wife - Louise Khurshid, who happens to be a former MLA - is its chief functionary officer.
The trust is registered as an NGO and has been operating in many states and receiving substantial grants from several important ministries of the government of India.
The report states that the Union ministry for social welfare and empowerment had been hinted about this in May 2011, but no one sought an inquiry.
Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has, for the time being, stopped fresh grants to the trust, as Khurshid's family was yet to reply to the clarifications sought by it on the alleged malpractices.
According to reports, documents in possession of Aaj Tak reveal that a statewide enquiry into these malpractices in a project piloted by the trust was ordered by the UP government on January 12, 2012 following a letter from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The project relates to providing aids to physically challenged people in 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Khurshid's hometown Farrukhabad.
See what India Today reports on its sting operation. Hence the report:-
Northeast India Today / India / North / StoryIndia Today Online New Delhi, October 10, 2012
UPDATED 00:16 IST
Operation Dhritrashtra: NGO headed by Union Minister Salman Khurshid's wife comes under scanner for 'forgery'
Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust
The sting was carries out by TV channel Aaj Tak.RELATEDS
A A AX A prestigious trust, chaired by Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid forged signatures and stamps of senior officials of several districts in Uttar Pradesh depriving physically challenged people of their due, an investigation Operation Dhritrashtra done by TV news channel Aaj Tak has found.
In the in-depth investigation, which also comprised sting operations on some senior officials of Uttar Pradesh and Union government, Aaj Tak gathered documentary evidence of forgery and false reporting from at least 10 districts in the state.
The Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust is registered at Khurshid's residence in the national capital (4, Gulmohar Avenue, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi) and the minister's wife - Louise Khurshid, who happens to be a former MLA - is its chief functionary officer.
The trust is registered as an NGO and has been operating in many states and receiving substantial grants from several important ministries of the government of India.
Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has, for the time being, stopped fresh grants to the trust as Khurshid's family was yet to reply to the clarifications sought by it on the alleged malpractices.
Documents in possession of Aaj Tak reveal that a state-wide enquiry into these malpractices in a project piloted by the trust was ordered by the UP government on January 12, 2012 following a letter from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The project relates to providing aids to physically challenged people in 17 districts of UP, including Khurshid's hometown Farrukhabad.
The report of the director, Handicap Welfare, UP, sent to state's special secretary clearly shows forged signatures and stamps of government officials who allegedly verified the work done by the trust. The 2009-10 report sent to the government by the trust was signed by project director Louise Khurshid.
For the above project the trust was given Rs.71.50 lakh. The next year (2011-12) it was sanctioned Rs.68 lakh more. The total grant to the trust from the central ministries was yet to be ascertained.
During the verification of a single project (2009-10) several malpractices came to light. Some of the districts from where malpractices were reported included places like Etah, Bhadohi, Etawah, Bulandshahr, Kanshiram Nagar, Mainpuri, Shahjahanpur, Allahabad, Farrukhabad and Kannauj.
Etah: The district administration has reported that no camp was organised by Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust for distribution of aids to physically challenged people against the grants given by the government of India. Besides, signatures of chief medical officer (CMO) and tehsildar on the check list for verification of work seem to be forged.
Bhadohi: The report of district welfare officer (Ref 227/October 1, 2011) says no camp was organised on April 17, 2010, as claimed by the trust and chief development office (CDO) has not signed any report.
Etawah: The CMO in a letter (CMO/2011/6134) has stated that signatures of CMO on check list of beneficiaries seem forged.
Farrukhabad: The district magistrate (Ref 8306/12/8/11) reveals that signatures of tehsildar and CMO seem to be forged on the check list of beneficiaries supposedly provided with disability aids.
Bulandshahr: Stamp and signatures of district welfare officer (DWO) forged. No health unit exists in Bulandshahr, as mentioned by the trust in its report.
Kanshiram Nagar: Signatures of CMO and block development officer (BDO) were found to be forged.
Mainpuri: Signatures on check list of beneficiaries by district handicap welfare officer and BDO were found to be forged.
Shahjahanpur: No post of BDO Sadar exists in the district, as mentioned in the report of Louise Khurshid.
Allahabad: Tehsildar and district handicap welfare officer have not signed on the check list of the beneficiaries supposed to have received aid from the trust.
Kannauj: Signatures and stamps of government officers were found to be forged.
Louise Khurshid denies charges
While refuting the charges levelled in the reports and investigation carried by Aaj Tak, Louise Khurshid said that the allegations of forged signatures mentioned in the UP government report were not true.
She sent an affidavit of a senior official J.B. Singh, then CDO of Mainpuri and now posted as the registrar of Lucknow University. In the affidavit, Singh states that he inaugurated two camps organised by Dr Zakir Hussain Trust in Mainpuri. He further states signatures on the check list of the work done by the trust were his.
When contacted by reporters in Lucknow, Singh on camera denied having given any affidavit to the trust. He also refuted signing any such affidavit.
During the sting operation under secretary of Union Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment R.P. Puri revealed that files relating to the trust were pending with the Union Minister (Mukul Wasnik) as the matter related to a politically influential person (Salman Khurshid). Puri further said on the camera that if any other NGO had been accused of such malpractices it would have been blacklisted by now.
The project director of the trust was repeatedly approached by Aaj Tak to get her version, but she refused to come on camera. However, in a written reply she stated that allegations of forged signatures and stamps in the check list report were not true.
Louise Khurshid, who has yet to reply to the Union ministry, said that she has requested UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to conduct an enquiry into the matter to find out why officials of at least 10 districts claimed that the trust has submitted reports with their forged signatures.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ngo-headed-by-salman-khurshids-wife-comes-under-scanner-for-forgery/1/224142.html
Comments