Sushil Modi reminded of Nitish’s involvement in fodder scam, CM hits back

Patna,(BiharTimes): After having been friends for over 17 long years and his deputy for over seven and a half years BJP leader, Sushil Kumar Modi, has now been reminded that chief minister Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal (United) general secretary Shivanand Tiwari figure prominently in the fodder scam case.
While Tiwari chose to hit back strongly a couple of days back Nitish, on Monday, while talking to the media, said “He (Sushil Modi) has dialled a wrong number.”

When former chief minister Rabri Devi chose to quote the kingpin of the scam, Shyam Bihari Sinha, to allege that Nitish and Tiwari were the beneficiaries of the scam the Bihar chief minister did not react so strongly as it was understandable for her to do so after the conviction of her husband, Lalu Yadav.

However, what came as a surprise is the allegations levelled by none else but Sushil Modi, who shared power with him for so long and with whom the relationship was excellent till JD(U) and BJP parted ways on June 16 last. Not only that Modi and Tiwari were the two who moved the court for the CBI probe into the fodder scam more than a decade and a half back.

Nitish said he has nothing to comment on such allegation, but went on to add that he has been hearing about this for the last 14-15 years from different sources but never got any official intimation.

He asked the journalists to search the Archives of their own newspapers and other sources of news to find as to how many times such stories were published.

The chief minister said that sometimes, attempts are made to divert the issue by raking up such matters. The CBI and court had also been approached time and again.

Nitish said they tried to include his name out of political consideration during cross-examination of witnesses but nothing came out.

It needs to be recalled that a PIL filed by social activist Mithilesh Singh in Jharkhand High Court has urged the court to make Nitish and Shivanand Tiwari as accused in fodder scam as they were allegedly been paid money.

It is upon this that the single bench of Justice R R Prasad on September 20 asked the CBI to explain why Nitish Kumar and Tiwari should not be arraigned as accused in the scam and had fixed November 22 to hear the case.