Nitish sacks Excise Minister

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday sacked Excise Minister Jamshed Ashraf,who had alleged a scam worth Rs 500 crore in the Chief Ministers Secretariat and the department. Kumar,who refuted the charges,said the minister had leaked confidential documents to the media and also by pointed a finger at his integrity.

I was left with no other option but to sack Ashraf, Kumar said,adding that after levelling allegations as a minister Ashraf should have quit on his own. Besides,despite my point-by-point replies to Ashrafs letter containing the allegations,the latter preferred to continue his allegation, the Chief Minister said.

Kumar confirmed that he had received a letter from Ashraf making allegations of connivance between several bureaucrats and the liquor mafia. He said he got Chief Secretary Anoop Mukherjee to look into the allegations. There was little merit in the allegations. He just intended to target me, Kumar said.

Asharaf,on his part,told reporters he would expose all bureaucrats involved in the big loot in the Excise department. He said: If the CMs conscience is so clear,why cannot he institute a CBI probe?