Officials targeting EC work under Laloo’s lieutenant Raghuvansh

Saptarishi, a 1969 batch West Bengal cadre officer, is scheduled to retire on July 31—the CAPART recommendation is pending with the Minister—and Pradhan, a 1987 batch Bihar cadre officer, was brought on Central deputation to look after the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the last week of April.

Laloo Prasad Yadav was one of the candidates in the Chhapra polls, which Saptarishi and Pradhan alleged the ECs had countermanded as they were casteist and batting for the then NDA government.

Saptarishi’s allegations against the ECs N Gopalaswami and B B Tandon—in a letter to Law Minister H R Bhardwaj—created a storm yesterday, while Pradhan had recorded his charges in a report marked to Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer one year ago when he was Chhapra DM.

The Sunday Express had reported yesterday that Pradhan’s report formed the basis of then Special Observer Saptarishi’s recommendation that the elections need not be countermanded.

The report stated: ‘‘The BJP candidate is pressurising the Election Commission for getting the poll countermanded in Chhapra P/C where the Civil Aviation Minister is locked in high voltage electoral battle with RJD Chief Laloo Prasad Yadav. Anticipating his defeat in the election, the BJP candidate has demanded to countermand the poll in the constituency.’’

However, speaking to The Indian Express today, Saptarishi denied any connection between his allegations and the three-year post-retirement tenure as CAPART chief.

‘‘The general body of CAPART has passed a resolution to this effect and this has been seconded by the Parliamentary Estimates Committee. But it is for the government to take a final decision,’’ said Saptarishi, adding, ‘‘I don’t know whether the Minister has cleared the file.’’

Pradhan, recently posted to New Delhi, was not available for comment.

On the fact that he was working in the same ministry as Pradhan, Saptarishi said: ‘‘These are independent decisions of the government. It is an accident that Pradhan has also landed in the Ministry of Rural Development. But with good reason, as he has experience in the field and was Special Secretary for Rural Development in Bihar.’’

On the timing of his outburst against CEC-designate Tandon, Saptarishi said he could not have raised the issue before the appointment was notified. ‘‘Raising it after my retirement would have been pointless as it would have no validity and the Law Minister could have thrown my letter in the dustbin. But today, I am a serving officer,’’ he said.

On allegations that he was getting back at the then NDA government, which had refused to empanel him as Secretary, Saptarishi said there were others involved in that decision, other than just Gopalaswami, the then home secretary.

‘‘I have not said anything against former Cabinet Secretary Kamal Pande, former Personnel Secretary S S Dawra and former Principal Secretary to the PM Brajesh Mishra, who were all party to the decision not to empanel me,’’ said Saptarishi.