Nod given to prosecute Bhujbal in Sadan case

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday evening said an open inquiry by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has begun into alleged irregularities during the renovation of Maharashtra Sadan  — a guest house for state MLAs and other representatives in Delhi. He added that the home department has sanctioned such a probe.

“The file for the sanction does not come to me. But the home department has given its go-ahead for the inquiry,” he said.

Charges of corruption in the case have been levelled against public works department (PWD) minister Chh­agan Bhujbal and water resources minister Sunil Tatkare.

Earlier in the day, home minister RR Patil had denied having given the go-ahead to the ACB to prosecute Bhujbal. Recent reports had stated that the ACB had sought permission from the home department to initiate proceedings against the PWD minister.

Patil said a discreet probe into the allegation of corruption, which didn’t need his department’s sanction, is on.

Rubbishing reports of having approved the ACB’s prosecution plea, he said the authority to grant such a sanction did not rest with him. “A discreet inquiry is on. The ACB apprises the departments concerned of the government if they find any substance in the allegations and can then demand sanction to start an open inquiry.”

Bhujbal, on his part, said he is ready to face any type of inquiry.