Up-Lokayukta takes charge, Chitnis case file is priority

BHOPAL: Justice U C Maheshwari took over as Up-Lokayukta on Tuesday after he was administered oath of office by Lokayukta Justice, P P Naolekar. Sources in anti-corruption ombudsman say investigations into graft cases against former school education minister Archana Chitnis, may be expedited and Justice Maheshwari will supervise the probe from Friday.
The case against Chitnis pertains to alleged diversion of funds given by Centre for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for purchasing Devputra, a children's magazine published by an RSS-affiliated trust. Last week, legal advisors in Lokayukta's office had issued a notice to the chief secretary seeking details in the case.
Two copies of the monthly, published by Indore-based Saraswati Bal Kalyan Nyas, were sent to one lakh government schools in Madhya Pradesh for 32 months till October 2013, against an MoU signed by the state education department with publishers. The magazine was supplied against advance payments, said sources. Two cases were pending against former minister Chitnis, one of which was closed by Justice P P Naolekar, last year. Probe has been continuing for more than three years. This is the only high-profile case pending in Lokayukta's office as others have been closed in last three years, said sources.
After Congress filed complaints with Lokayukta and CBI, the state government revoked the MoU signed with the publication trust in 2014. Another complaint against Chitnis alleged misappropriation of funds by changing colour of blackboards across schools from black to green was filed with Lokayukta by Congress. However, in June 2015, Lokayukta gave a clean chit to Chitnis in the case.