A local court on Firday issued a non- bailable arrest warrant against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in an alleged recruitment scam at Assembly Secretariat in Bhopal which took place when he was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Special Sessions Judge Kashinath Singh issued the warrant after the Congress General Secretary, an accused in the alleged scam, did not turn up in the court where a 169-page supplementary charge sheet was filed on Friday. The Rajya Sabha member was summoned by prosecuting agency - MP Police - to attend the court proceedings.
Singh on Friday said that he would surrender before the court on Saturday. "The Madhya Pradesh police can arrest me if they want. I will surrender before the court tomorrow. I was about to go to Delhi but I have cancelled that also and now I will go to Bhopal," he told ANI.
He further added, "This is a 22-year-old scam and it is inevitable that the state government, who is already worried about the Vyapam scam, will target me. In those appointments there was an order by the Cabinet and not alone of mine."
BJP wakes up after 20 years to file a case against me where there is no charge of corruption. Bound to happen after I took up VYAPAM scam.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) February 27, 2016
Makes my resolve stronger to fight these forces of Fascism.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) February 27, 2016
The seven other accused, including K K Kaushal and A K Pyasi - who appeared in the court - were granted bail after they furnished a personal security bond of Rs 30,000 each. Kaushal and Pyasi were employees of the Secretariat. The Court fixed March 14 for hearing.
Ahead of filing the charge sheet last year, police had grilled the veteran Congressman for five hours in connection with the scam. The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in recruitment in MP Assembly Secretariat between 1993 and 2003 when Singh was Chief Minister.
Last year, Singh had reportedly told investigators that all recruitments in the Secretariat during his tenure were done with the approval of State Cabinet and as per prescribed rules. The accused have been charged with forgery, cheating, conspiracy and misuse of office as well as offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.