By IANS
Ranchi : Four Jharkhand ministers have demanded removal of P.P. Sharma from the state chief secretary’s post.
Human Resources Development Minister Bandhu Tirkey, Health Minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi, Social Welfare Minister Jobha Manjhi and Rural Development Minister Enos Ekka have demanded the removal as Sharma is facing corruption charges.
The state cabinet of ministers discussed the issue Friday. The HRD minister raised the issue and demanded removal of Sharma.
Some of the ministers have also threatened to not attend future cabinet meetings till Sharma is removed.
“We have demanded removal of chief secretary with immediate effect. Almost all the ministers agree on the issue of removal of Sharma,” Tirkey told reporters.
He said: “We will attend the next cabinet meeting only when Sharma is removed from the chief secretary’s post.”
“P.P. Sharma will have to be removed from the chief secretary’s post,” said Manjhi.
Jharkhand Chief Mnister Madhu Koda said: “We are going through the charges made against Sharma. We will take a decision only after going through the facts.”
In a letter to Additional Director General of Police Gauri Shankar Rath, Inspector General of Crime Investigation Department (CID) Amitabh Chaudhary sought approval to prosecute Sharma in a corruption case. The IG CID sent the letter to Rath Feb 14.
The corruption charges are from 1988, when Sharma was managing director of Biscoumaun of Patna cum secretary of department of cooperatives.
The IG’s letter said Sharma ordered fertilisers from Suraj Brand company of Rajasthan at a cost of Rs.2509.50 per metric tonne (MT) when the prevailing price was Rs.2,000 per MT. The fertiliser supplied by the company was found to be substandard. Sharma still paid Rs.5.4 million to the company, the letter said.
It also alleged Sharma misled the state government by submitting under oath that no case was pending against him, though a criminal case was pending in a Patna court.
The state home department has recommended the IG CID be suspended from his post for leaking the letter to the media.