Union Home Minister Amit Shah has urged that the credibility be checked of claims made by former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik in a recent interview, India Today reported.
Malk had made critical remarks about the BJP-led Centre, especially regarding its handling of Jammu and Kashmir, where he served as the last governor before the erstwhile state was bifurcated into Union territories.
“The BJP hasn’t done anything that needs to be hidden. The issue should not be discussed in a public forum. If he had information about irregularities, he should have spoken during his tenure. Why is he making such claims now? This calls for a credibility check,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said while speaking at the India Today Karnataka Roundtable 2023 on Saturday.
In a recent interview, among other allegations, Satya Pal Malik said the Centre’s “lackadaisical approach” had caused the Pulwama tragedy as “the Army was denied air movement of troops by the Central government”.
Speaking about Malik’s CBI summons following his allegations, Shah said, “It is not the first time that he has been called in. He is being probed in an alleged insurance scam and the probe agency is just doing its duty. There is no relation between the CBI summons and his allegations,” he said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has called Satya Pal Malik for questioning in connection with his claim that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe to clear two files during his stint in J&K.
On speculations of Malik joining hands with a rival party, he said, “He made the claims after separating himself from us and hence, his claims are doubtful.”
“Malik ji has been a part of the party for a long time. People change from time to time. Voters should judge carefully,” he said.
The CBI has asked former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik to answer certain queries in connection with an alleged insurance scam in the Union Territory, officials said on Friday.
This is the second time in seven months that Malik, who has served as the governor of various states, will be questioned by the CBI. He was questioned in October last year after he concluded his gubernatorial responsibilities in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, and finally Meghalaya.
Reacting to the development, Malik told PTI that the CBI has asked for his presence at the agency’s Akbar Road guesthouse for “certain clarifications”.
