Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan clears stand on Chitale committee inquiry

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday clarified that there will be no change in the scope of inquiry being carried out by the Chitale committee into the irrigation scam. In a press release issued from the Chief Minister’s Office, Chavan stated that the Chitale committee has not been stopped from obtaining information government departments and corporations.

The clarification has been issued after the CM was quoted saying that the probe into the Rs70,000 crore scam was not meant to frame charges against anybody or conduct a probe into allegations of corruption. Chavan had said that it is meant to examine irregularities with regard to cost escalation in irrigation projects. He added that in the process of inquiry, if the committee found instances of corruption, the government would initiate police action.

Following media reports, opposition parties had criticised him for going back on his initial stand. Chavan has tried to put those doubts to rest by issuing a fresh statement.