M A I N   N E W S

On-camera expose shows corruption in MPLADS
Prashant Sood
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19
Close on the heels of shocking cash-for-questions scam, the Star News Channel in a sting operation has sought to highlight corruption connected with the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) involving a former minister and MPs of various political parties.

‘Operation Chakravyuh’ by Star News-Detective Intelligence Guild (DIG) showed a former Congress Goa Chief Minister and Lok Sabha member Churchil Alemao, former Union Minister and BJP MP Fagan Singh Kulaste and one Samajwadi Party MP and another supported by it involved in corruption in allotting work for the MPLAD Scheme.

Mr Alemao, a Congress MP from South Goa, who discusses commisson in two meetings, is shown in the third meeting asking the DIG reporters to open a bag full of money as commission for a project to popularise Konkani language. He later demands an advance of Rs 2 lakh, but on suspicion threatens to check the bags of the reporters.

The sting operation also shows Yuvraj, Personal Secretary of Fagan Singh Kulaste, a former Union Minister, taking money on behalf of BJP MP Chandra Pratap Singh, who was also exposed in the cash-for-question 'Operation Duryodhan' last week. Yuvraj was also shown accepting money for Kulaste.

Others shown in the sting operation are Mr Ramswaroop Koli (BJP), Mr Paras Nath Yadav (SP), Sakshi Maharaj (Rashtriya Kranti Dal supported by SP), and Isan Singh (BSP).

The investigative team of the news channel discovered from a driver that some MPs issue letter to NGOs and others for certain programmes in their constituenices under the MPLADS. The team posed as representative of a fake NGO.

The Star News Channel interviewed the head of its investigative team and former Union Minister Arun Shourie who affirmed that MPLADS should be wound up as the job of MPs is to legislate and aspects of development should be responsibility of the executive.

He stressed that this issue has been raised in a big way and the argument that MPLADS should be abolished has been underlined by the presiding officers of the two Houses.

Under the MPs Local Area Development Scheme, each MP gets Rs 2 crore a year for development works.

SP asks MP to resign

UNI adds: The Samajwadi Party tonight swung into action and asked its MP Parasnath Yadav to resign from his membership of the Lok Sabha for accepting commission to allocate funds for projects under the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

SP leader Amar Singh said the other parties should also take stern action against its members involved in the scam.