Priyanka Gandhi, Kamal Nath booked for ‘50% Commission’ posts

New Delhi: An FIR has been filed in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore against senior Congress leaders, including party’s National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath and former Union Minister Arun Yadav, over a post accusing the BJP government in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh of indulging in “50 per cent commission” scam.

According to a statement released by Indore Commissioner of Police (CP) late on Saturday, local BJP’s Indore legal cell convener Nimesh Pathak lodged a complaint alleging that a fake letter, signed by one Gyanendra Awasthi, was being circulated on social media, claiming that the contractors in the state were being asked to pay 50 per cent commission.

A case has been registered at Indore’s Sanyogitaganj police station under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly) and 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation) of IPC, police said, adding that the complaint is being investigated.

The BJP leaders have submitted complaints to the police in various cities, including Bhopal, Indore and Rewa. A similar case under Sections 469, 500, and 501 of the IPC has been registered in Bhopal.

Citing a media report, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on August 11 said contractors in the state have written to CJI of the High Court complaining that payment is received only after paying a 50 per cent commission in the state.

The viral letter alleged that petty contractors, who are subcontracted the work by original contractors, have to work for just 40 per cent of the original contract value.The 50 per cent commission is paid by the main contractor to get the payment of the work released.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh also tweeted, “BJP had a government with 40% commission in Karnataka. The BJP government of Madhya Pradesh is even a step ahead of that. Here the matter of 50% commission is coming to the fore.”

On August 12, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he ordered the intelligence department to probe the corruption claims. “It was found that this man does not exist and the address of the organisation mentioned in the letter is fake. See, this is how delusion is spread,” he said while alleging that Congress was indulging in “negative politics”.