Govt puts Buddha in dock, alleges scam in flat allotment to CPM leaders

The state government today put several CPM leaders in the dock, saying the Left Front government sold government flats to them at a rate 20 to 25 per cent lower than the market rate.

In a statement in the Assembly, minister of state for housing Arup Biswas gave the names of those who allegedly benefitted from the government's move. He termed it a bigger scandal than the Adarsh scam in Mumbai and said that the government would investigate the anomalies and take appropriate action.

The name of Pradesh Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya, who is a neighbour of former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Palm Avenue, also figured in the list. The other CPM leaders in the list include leader of opposition Suryakanta Mishra, former ministers Ashoke Bhattacharya, Partha Dey, Dinesh Lakda, Shyamali Gupta and Mridul Dey.

In his statement, Arup Biswas said: "The state government builds apartments for the general people and at present we have 20,276 flats in 89 estates across the state. So far in a case of blatant nepotism, by making false documents, the erstwhile Left Front government gave away 493 flats on a 999-year lease...it was quite illegal...they were given to political leaders and their relatives...they were given at a very cheap rate. We will investigate the scandal," Biswas said.

"How can non-members of the House be discussed in the Assembly? We cannot understand how this Assembly is being run," Suryakanta Mishra said.

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