As predicted earlier in these columns, the change of guard in Chattisgarh is not proving to be a good news for Durg DCCB Chairman Preetpal Belchandan who is also an active member of Sahakar Bharati.
Mired in several controversies from land to the bungling in co-op elections, the state govt has tightened screw on him and has lodged a complaint in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
Reacting to the complaint lodged by Economic Offences Wing (EOW), the Durg DCCB Chairman Preetpal Belchandan said ”I am ready to face the inquiry as I am not involved in swindling a single rupee during the cooperative elections”.
“Today I have appeared before the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Raipur and recorded statements over the matter. There is a conspiracy against me and I will be here till the inquiry is completed. I will not run away” said Belchandan who is an active member of Sahakar Bharati.
He further said, “The cooperative elections have been conducted under the supervision of election officers appointed by the cooperative department. Our bank’s officials were not involved in it. We had neither given any bribe nor taken any during the elections”, he claimed.
However, the applicant went to the High Court but court had rejected the petition. “Now a conspiracy is being hatched against me before the Lok Sabha polls”, he said.
Readers would recall that, in the wake of the swindling of crores of rupees, the EOW last week lodged a complaint against the Durg DCCB Chairman Preetpal Belchandan. The local police of Durg has started probe in the matter and it is reported that he may be arrested soon.
According to media reports, the Bhupesh Baghel government has given the matter to the EOW for inquiry. Despite investigation reports submitted against Belchandan to the then Raman Singh Government, no action had been taken because he was associated with BJP, claims his detractor.
Belchandan has been accused of swindling crores of rupees during the cooperative elections. The Durg Police have registered the case on the complaint of Shyam Bihari Verma, a resident of Nawagarh town in Chhattisgarh. Verma in his complaint mentioned that during the coop elections Belchandan had swindled Rs 1.18 crore.
He is also the Chairman of Durg-based multi-purpose cooperative SBACO- Shree Balram Agriculture (Produce and Marketing) Cooperative Society.
Belchandan is the second Sahakar Bharati official after Mukesh and Rahul Modi to face arrest. Despite occupying a high pedestal, the RSS body singularly failed to take any disciplinary action against them despite numerous complaints, thereby making a mockery of its avowed principle of honesty.
