The CIAA investigators, according to sources, have made up their mind to investigate the state minister´s involvement in the bribe-taking incident on two grounds: use of the state minister´s vehicle by Yadav to go to a restaurant at Anamngar to collect the bribe and a recorded conversation between one Khadga Bahadur Shahi and State Minister Mehta. [break]
According to CIAA, in the recorded conversation between Shahi and Mehta, the state minister is heard demanding bribe in exchange for providing compensation to the locals for their land acquired by the Mugu-based Rara National Park some 35 years ago. The national park had acquired land from 72 families of Mugu Seri-2 for expansion but the families have not received compensation till date.
Mugu locals had approached the CIAA with a complaint accusing the state minister and his personal secretary of demanding bribe for forwarding the file regarding compensation.
“The use of the state minister´s vehicle by his personal secretary and the recorded conversation we have received has necessitated investigation into the minister´s involvement," said a source at the CIAA.
In fact, CIAA wanted to arrest the state minister on the basis of the complaint on Thursday but could not as it was his personal secretary who came to collect the bribe amounting Rs 50,000.
"We were hoping to arrest the state minister, instead of his personal secretary, on Wednesday and accordingly CIAA had deployed four deputy superintendents of police, a second class government lawyer and inspectors," said an informed source at the CIAA, adding, "If we were to arrest the personal secretary only, there was no need to deploy such a large team."
The source said that constitutional anti-graft body is going to seize the vehicle of the state minister and collect the call records of the minister with the people of Mugu for investigation.
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