NO DECISION TAKEN IN TODAY’S CABINET MEETING REGARDING PERMISSION TO COURT AGAINST CABINET MINISTER GANESH JOSHI. 8 TH OCTOBER IS THE DEADLINE !
In Uttrakhand whether it is the media or the political parties, especially the main opposition Congress, everyone is very curiously waiting for the decision of the cabinet committee of Uttarakhand government whether they finally recommend the vigilant court’s decision to initiate action into the disproportionate assets case against the agriculture minister of Uttarakhand Ganesh Joshi who has shown his assets of worth Rs 9 crores whereas his income is too less compared to the wealth and assets amassed. The Vigilance Court has instituted an enquiry against him and found credible evidence after an RTI activist , advocate Vikesh Negi had sought information through RTI query about Ganesh Joshi procuring assets more than his known sources of income.
The vigilance court has found his guilty and written to the Uttarakhand government to give the court permission to take immediate action against cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi in a disproportionate assets case.
The court has given the last date to the Uttarakhand government as 8 th October to give the permission in this regard.
Today is 7 th October and as per the statement of the spokesperson of Uttarakhand Congress Garima Mehra Dasauni no decision has been taken today in this regard .
She questioned while addressing the media that if the double engine government of Uttarakhand speaks so loudly about zero tolerance on corruption then where is the recommendation of the cabinet committee of Uttarakhand ? She asked that tomorrow is the last day , the deadline of the court’s order. If the government n Uttarakhand CM is really serious to fight corruption the cabinet committee should give the decision to prosecute the minister allegedly involved in the disproportionate assets case. She said while answering to the media emphatically : By now you must have understood what is the intention of the Dhami cabinet in the disproportionate assets case of Ganesh Joshi? Because today the whole day has passed and no cabinet meeting was held nor any decision taken, tomorrow is the last date of the time given by the Vigilance Department, October 8. This means that the elephant’s teeth are for eating and for showing well, damn.
It may be recalled that in an important development, a Dehradun based RTI activist cum advocate advocate, Vikesh Singh Negi had approached the court against senior Uttarakhand cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi, accusing him of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. As a result the vigilance department had registered a case against Joshi following a court order and sought permission from the Uttarakhand Council of Ministers to take action against him after being convinced that there is enough evidence found during investigation of the minister’s complicity in the case.
After finding that no action was taken in this regard, the adamant advocate and RTI activist Negi has again knocked the doors of the court, seeking justice in the matter.
Special Judge Vigilance, Manish Mishra, in his order, a week ago said , “As per the Indian Constitution, the Council of Ministers is the supreme body for decision-making in the executive. If a case related to a public servant is under consideration by the executive’s supreme body, it is not judicious for any court to pass an order before the stipulated time period.”
Special Judge Vigilance in his order further wrote , “While the present case is to be examined under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, a scrutiny of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Dr Subramanian Swamy vs. Dr. Manmohan Singh and others (2012) SC 1185 reveals that the apex court has fixed a time limit of three months for any prosecution sanction. Therefore, in my opinion, the case should be referred to the Council of Ministers, and we should await their decision till October 8, 2024.” said the judge in his order.
