New Delhi [India], December 9: Congress MP Manickam Tagore raised concerns on Monday over the clean chits given to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in high-profile cases. He called for a discussion on the functioning of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Tagore moved adjournment motions, referring to the cases involving Pawar and Naidu as “washing machine stories,” where both leaders were allegedly “cleaned” by Prime Minister Modi. He expressed a desire to debate the fairness and transparency of investigative agencies in these matters.
In his adjournment motion notice, Tagore stated, “Hon’ble Speaker Sir, I rise to express concern over the clean chits given to Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu in high-profile cases. The IT Benami Property case involving Rs 1,000 crore and the Rs 371 crore Skill Development scam raise doubts about the fairness of our investigative agencies.”
Tagore accused the Modi government of clearing Ajit Pawar’s name, while the ED exonerated Chandrababu Naidu. He questioned the criteria used in these decisions and whether due process was followed, noting that the lack of proof in these cases only deepens suspicions about the integrity of the investigations.
“The credibility of the ED and CBI is at stake,” Tagore said, demanding a detailed explanation from the government regarding these decisions.
The Income Tax (I-T) Department had earlier cleared properties worth over Rs 1,000 crore that were seized in 2021 from Ajit Pawar and his family. These properties were raided by the I-T Department on October 7, 2021. In October this year, the Enforcement Directorate gave a clean chit to CM Chandrababu Naidu in connection with the alleged Rs 371 crore skill development scam.