Goa cash-for-jobs scam: AAP seeks judicial probe; BJP says ED inquiry on
Panaji (PTI): The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday demanded a judicial probe into the cash-for-jobs scam in Goa, claiming that an inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will not yield any result.
Goa BJP spokesperson Giriraj Pai Vernekar, however, said the opposition itself had demanded an ED inquiry which was now underway and there was nothing to hide.
The AAP leaders were targeting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his family over the scam for "political reasons", he said, adding the first FIR in the matter was registered at the CM's behest.
The Goa police have arrested several persons in connection with the fraud wherein many people have been duped under the pretext of being provided government jobs.
Several complaints had been filed across Goa, with many government job aspirants alleging they were forced to pay lakhs of rupees to some persons under the pretext of facilitating employment.
CM Sawant had said an unbiased investigation was underway into the scam, with police apprehending several accused, who were luring youth to pay for getting government jobs.
Talking to reporters here, AAP Goa president Amit Palekar said media reports have claimed the ED has initiated an inquiry into the scam.
"I feel that the ED's inquiry will fetch no results as it is yet another agency of the BJP," he alleged.
Palekar alleged some BJP functionaries were involved in the scam, hence his party has demanded a judicial inquiry into it.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh also recently targeted the state BJP government over the scam.
Reacting to AAP's allegations of Sawant and his wife being involved in the scam, Vernekar challenged the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit and other opposition parties to come forward with "a single document linking the CM or his family to the cash-for-jobs scam."
It is laughable that they (AAP) are criticising others, Vernekar told PTI.
"Sanjay Singh has spent several months in jail. I was expecting him to be a little more responsible but he wasn't," he added.
Vernekar said the AAP leaders "have not been able to give a single proof of the involvement of CM or his family in the scam."
It is unfortunate to see the level of discourse and attack on the CM's family "only for political reasons," he said.
"I urge the opposition that if they have any proof of CM or his family's involvement, they should give it rather than making baseless allegations," he said.
Vernekar said if these attacks do not stop, then they will have to "explore all options".
"Now all lies being spoken about the involvement of BJP leaders would be exposed. The opposition has been demanding ED inquiry for a long time and it is now fulfilled," he said.
Once the investigation into the scam is over, it will be clear that individual men and women were defrauding the people, he said, asserting there was no involvement of any senior BJP leader.
"The investigation is on. As far as the government's intent of government is concerned, we have asked people (victims of the fraud) to come forward and lodge a case," he said.
After realising that some men and women were duping people, it was CM Sawant who asked police to start an investigation, Vernekar said.
The first FIR was filed at the behest of the chief minister and not the opposition or any victim, he said.
So far, 30 FIRs hve been registered and more than 25 persons arrested in connection with the case, Vernekar said.
"The accused have been arrested and it has only happened because the CM has been repeatedly appealing to the people of Goa that they should come forward and not let scamsters dupe them of their hard-earned money," he added.
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China confirms its support to Pakistan during four-day conflict with India
Beijing (PTI): China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said.
China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.
Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.
Pakistan's air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.
What drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.
