In a major embarrassment for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,Excise Minister Jamshed Ashraf shot off letters hinting a multi-crore scam in his department and threatened to speak about the irregularities through public platform. I am ready to speak about the irregularities plaguing the Excise department even through public platform.I am not going to withdraw the notes I wrote to Kumar and the Chief Secretary seeking a probe by Vigilance or Accountant General as I have cautiously studied all the files concerned, Ashraf said on Saturday. The minister handed over two letters in September 2009 and again on January 14 to the Chief Minister,seeking his intervention in unearthing a possible big scam. Stating that there was a strong syndicate comprising bureaucrats flourishing in the department for a long period,Ashraf said he wanted those involved in the excise racket be brought to justice in the larger interests of Bihar. Even an existing nexus between police and mafia elements is evident from the facts that despite repeated instructions,no raids have been carried out to seal the illegal shops and country liquor manufacturing units, he said. Ashraf earlier alleged the scam was committed in connivance with officers posted in the CMs secretariat and the Excise department causing a revenue loss of over Rs 500 crore. With the contents of his letter making way to the media,Kumar was in a spot,as the Opposition grabbed the opportunity to try to sully his image of a clean and no-nonsense man,especially in an election year. Kumar,however,maintained that there was nothing to hide and people would come to know about the facts related to it soon.
