While state ministers dismissed the CAG findings about their alleged involvement in irregular land deals, home minister R.R. Patil on Tuesday said those who had leaked the CAG report were actually the bigger culprits. He also announced a crime branch investigation to ascertain who leaked the report.
“The CAG and state legislature are constitutional bodies. The CAG report was leaked before it was tabled in the House and some leaders were targeted. It appears to be an attempt to undermine the position of the legislature. Therefore, the crime branch will investigate the leak,” Mr Patil announced on the floor of the legislative Assembly.
“The investigators will find out how the confidential report was leaked and who did it. Stern action will be taken against those responsible to avoid reoccurrence of such an incident,” he added.
Mr Patil also appealed to BJP legislator Devendra Fadnavis, who gave copies of the leaked report to the media, to cooperate with the investigation.
Mr Fadnavis accepted the home minister’s announcement as a challenge. “I am ready for any probe. The government feels it can suppress us with such investigations, but if needed, in future, I will continue to bring out similar CAG reports,” he said.
However, the Opposition remained unimpressed by Mr Patil’s announcement. Leader of the Opposition Eknath Khadse said the ministers indicted by the CAG should also be investigated.
Taking further potshots at Mr Patil, Mr Khadse said, “We have complete faith in Mr Patil’s abilities. Earlier too, his department was unable to trace the Adarsh society files that went missing from Mantralaya.”