Ranchi, Oct. 18: Senior BJP leader Saryu Rai today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drop railway minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and minister of state for company affairs Prem Gupta from his council of ministers.
The demand comes in the wake of confessions of fodder scam accused Deepesh Chandok before a CBI court on Saturday. Chandok told the court that the kingpin of the scam Shyam Bihari Sinha paid Rs 60 crore to Laloo Prasad in his presence to hush up the case. He also said the payments were often made through Prem Gupta. RJD Lok Sabha member R.K. Rana played the role of a middle man, Chandok has alleged.
Rai argued that the statements leave no doubt that Laloo Prasad swindled funds meant for the poor.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, Rai has said the case was a test for Manmohan Singh?s integrity.
That a major hush-up operation is on is proved by the fact that the additional solicitor-general recently submitted half baked information to the Supreme Court, Rai added.