One of the companies was registered just ten days before the allotment of the contract worth Rs 750 crore. It sold the steel, making a profit of about Rs 80 to 90 crore, claims Dr Ajoy Kumar
NEW DELHI — The Congress has cornered the Narendra Modi government over a massive scam worth hundreds of crores of rupees through the sale of subsidised steel by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in which about 100 companies were provided steel on subsidised prices for infrastructure projects, which they sold it further making huge profits.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here on Tuesday, senior party leader and former MP Dr Ajoy Kumar disclosed that an officer, Rajiv Bhatia, who flagged the scam, was victimised and forced to take voluntary retirement.
Dr Kumar disclosed that SAIL provided 11 lakh tons of steel to 100 companies at subsidised rates for infrastructure projects. Instead of using the steel themselves, they straightaway sold it further, making huge profits, he claimed.
Dr Kumar said that when an honest officer, Rajiv Bhatia, exposed the scandal, he was suspended for 10 months without any valid reason. Later, he was deliberately accused of poor performance and involvement in corruption. Dr Kumar further pointed out that, on the other hand, over two dozen officials suspended during the investigation of the scam were reinstated under the pretext of the Lok Sabha elections.
Dr Kumar revealed that one of the companies, Venkatesh Infra Projects Limited, was registered just ten days before the allotment of the contract worth Rs 750 crore. The company directly sold the steel received under the contract, making a profit of about Rs 80 to 90 crore. He said that while the company made the profits, the transportation charges were paid by the SAIL.
Wondering what enforcement agencies like ED were doing, Dr Kumar pointed out that it had initiated investigations against 25 Opposition leaders, 23 of whom joined the BJP, after which cases against them were either closed or shelved. He cited the examples of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Praful Patel, and Ashok Chavan in this context.
