PM’S STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT ON
THE RESIGNATION OF SHRI DILIP SINGH JUDEV
The following is
the text of the statement in Parliament by Prime Minister, Shri
Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the resignation of Shri Dilip Singh Judev
here today:
"The Delhi
edition of The Indian Express dated 16-11-2003 carried a News
story and VCD visuals allegedly showing Shri Dilip Singh Judev,
then Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, receiving
cash from one Shri Rahul in the presence of Shri Natwar Rateria,
Assistant Private Secretary to the Minister. Shri Dilip Singh
Judev submitted his resignation which was accepted by the President
on my recommendation on 17-11-2003. On my direction, the Cabinet
Secretariat forwarded on 17-11-2003 press clippings from various
newspapers to the CBI for appropriate action.
On the basis
of the above Indian Express News story and other print and electronic
media reports, the CBI registered a Preliminary Enquiry on 18-11-2003
against Shri Judev, his APS Shri Natwar Rateria, and Shri Rahul,
purportedly a representative of an Australian Mining Company.
The decision
to register a Preliminary Enquiry or a regular case or file a
chargesheet is a decision taken by the CBI. The Government does
not interfere in these decisions.
The CBI has also
sent notices to both Shri Judev and Shri Rateria requiring them
to appear before the CBI.
It has been the
policy of my Government that all allegations pertaining to corruption
should be thoroughly inquired into. Accordingly, the CBI is inquiring
into this whole matter and it would be premature to state anything
till the inquiry is complete.
As Hon’ble Members
are aware, the CBI has full functional autonomy and, under the
recently enacted Central Vigilance Commission Act, the superintendence
of the CBI in relation to offences under the Prevention of Corruption
Act has been vested by the Government in the Central Vigilance
Commission.
There should,
therefore, be no fear or misgiving regarding the independence
of this inquiry.
I would like
to assure this august House that the truth will soon be out and
the law will take its own course."
