DNA: Ahmedabad: Sunday, July 08, 2012.
The Gujarat high court on Friday issued notices to BJP MLA Shankar Chaudhary, the state government, the education department and others on a petition seeking criminal action against the MLA in the earthquake relief fund scam.
Shankar Chaudhary was recently in news for allegedly watching pornography during assembly session. Farsu Goklani, petititioner and leader of Opposition in Patan district panchayat, had submitted that an earlier HC order had directed the education department to take criminal action against those involved in the scam. However, one and a half year had passed, yet no action was taken.
“A bench of Gujarat HC comprising justices Akil Kureshi and HN Devani sought reply from the government as to why they did not initiate action in the case,” said Goklani.
Goklani further submitted that he had sought details of the case under the RTI Act. In reply to his RTI query, the education department had said Chaudhary had deposited Rs35.80 lakh and the issue of criminal action had been referred to the department secretary. “However, the department has ignored the HC order,” Goklani said. Chaudhary had earlier been directed by the court to return the money he had claimed from the relief fund with interest.
After the 2001 earthquake, the Centre had introduced a package under Prime Minister's National Relief fund. The PIL filed by Goklani in 2007 stated that Chaudhary got Rs20.78 lakh from the fund even though he was not entitled to it.
He used to run a school in Radhanpur from a rented building ofNalanda Kanya Vidyalaya. The building got damaged during the quake, and Chaudhary claimed relief though he was just a tenant.
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