The ministry of social justice and empowerment has handed over to CBI the probe into the alleged misuse of government funds by a trust run by Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his wife Louise Khurshid.
The agency, however, remained tight lipped on the nature of the inquiry. A CBI officer merely said, "The matter is under examination".
The allegations, which surfaced in 2012, had created uproar during UPA-II with Arvind Kejriwal, who had just founded the Aam Aadmi Party, demanding Khurshid's resignation.
Even as minister for social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot confirmed that CBI is investigating the allegations, agency officials here refused to share the details. "The probe into alleged discrepancies in holding camps for handicapped persons by the trust has been handed over to CBI. During the probe by Economic Offences Wing (EOW), district officials concerned said their signatures were forged," Gehlot told TOI.
"Legal action will be taken against those found guilty," he said.
The social justice ministry had earlier referred it to the law ministry after Uttar Pradesh's EOW sent a report stating that the documents were allegedly forged by the NGO.
Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, which is registered as an NGO at Khurshid's residence in New Delhi with his wife and former UP MLA Louise Khurshid as its chief functionary, received money from the government to buy and distribute hearing aids and mechanized tri-cycles to physically challenged persons in 17 districts in the state. The social justice and empowerment ministry had reportedly released a grant of Rs 71.5 lakh in 2010-11 and Rs 68 lakh in 2011-22 to the Trust.
However, a TV channel conducted a sting operation on the trust and alleged that signatures were forged and fake stamps of officials of UP were put to receive grants from the Centre. It was also alleged that the funds were never distributed to the handicapped.
When contacted, Salman Khurshid refused to comment.
Earlier, Khurshid and his wife had denied the allegations. They had issued a statement denying the accusations saying, "It is painful and sad to see the work of the entire Trust being tarnished by the statements of a few individuals, the veracity of whose claims has not been established."
Source: TOI, 14th Jan 2015
The ministry of social justice and empowerment has handed over to CBI the probe into the alleged misuse of government funds by a trust run by Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his wife Louise Khurshid.
The agency, however, remained tight lipped on the nature of the inquiry. A CBI officer merely said, "The matter is under examination".
The allegations, which surfaced in 2012, had created uproar during UPA-II with Arvind Kejriwal, who had just founded the Aam Aadmi Party, demanding Khurshid's resignation.
Even as minister for social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot confirmed that CBI is investigating the allegations, agency officials here refused to share the details. "The probe into alleged discrepancies in holding camps for handicapped persons by the trust has been handed over to CBI. During the probe by Economic Offences Wing (EOW), district officials concerned said their signatures were forged," Gehlot told TOI.
"Legal action will be taken against those found guilty," he said.
The social justice ministry had earlier referred it to the law ministry after Uttar Pradesh's EOW sent a report stating that the documents were allegedly forged by the NGO.
Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, which is registered as an NGO at Khurshid's residence in New Delhi with his wife and former UP MLA Louise Khurshid as its chief functionary, received money from the government to buy and distribute hearing aids and mechanized tri-cycles to physically challenged persons in 17 districts in the state. The social justice and empowerment ministry had reportedly released a grant of Rs 71.5 lakh in 2010-11 and Rs 68 lakh in 2011-22 to the Trust.
However, a TV channel conducted a sting operation on the trust and alleged that signatures were forged and fake stamps of officials of UP were put to receive grants from the Centre. It was also alleged that the funds were never distributed to the handicapped.
When contacted, Salman Khurshid refused to comment.
Earlier, Khurshid and his wife had denied the allegations. They had issued a statement denying the accusations saying, "It is painful and sad to see the work of the entire Trust being tarnished by the statements of a few individuals, the veracity of whose claims has not been established."
Source: TOI, 14th Jan 2015
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