It has taken the Congress party a bit of help from the Karnataka Police to act against its own state unit secretary for his alleged involvement in criminal activities.

Mahmood Khan’s appointment as secretary in December 2008 had followed recommendations by Union minister Kantilal Bhuria, who represents Ratlam in the Lok Sabha, and former chief minister Digvijay Singh.

The Congress expelled Khan after the Karnatata Police arrested him recently from Ratlam in connection with the seizure of 6,000 litres of spurious liquor.

Bhuria had recommended Khan’s name in 2007 and 2008 and had also lobbied for a ticket ahead of the last Assembly elections in the state.

In his defence, Bhuria told state president Suresh Pachauri that Khan hails from his constituency but claimed to be unaware of his criminal past. Bhuria also said Khan’s brother R R Khan was president of party’s Ratlam district unit.

Khan, however, has faced a string of criminal cases over the past 18 years. In 1995, he was booked under TADA and kept in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Jail in connection with a seizure of arms in Jhirnya village.

The TADA court discharged him later but Khan’s name cropped up in in several cases involving illegal liquor and arms.

Pachauri told The Indian Express that senior leaders had indeed recommended Khan’s name. He, however, said that there was nothing more left to be done by the party as it had already expelled him.

Bhuria and Singh were not available for comment despite repeated attempts. A Congress spokesman admitted that the minister had recommended Khan’s name for an Assembly ticket but Pachauri opposed it.

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