IAC rules out hiding facts against Sharad Pawar in alleged irrigation scam

India Against Corruption (IAC) on Thursday rejected the allegations by former IPS officer YP Singh that its leader Arvind Kejriwal had hidden facts about alleged corruption by Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar in irrigation scam.

READ MORE: Pawar rejects his role in Lavasa scandal

The Kejriwal-led group said that the issue should be confined to the Lavasa scam and not taken as a "Arvind Kejriwal vs Y P Singh war".

At a press conference in Mumbai, Singh alleged that Kejriwal had information to expose Pawar but had concealed facts.

The IPS officer-turned- lawyer attacked Kejriwal for his  expose on Gadkari and alleged that the scam involving the BJP chief was nothing compared to the one indulged in by Pawar and his relatives in Lavasa, near Pune.

"Details of the larger irrigation scam were not brought out," Singh alleged.

Responding to Singh's remarks, IAC activist Manish Sisodia said they congratulate him on making these "revelations" and it is good if corrupt political bigshots are exposed.

"We don't exactly know why Y P Singh is saying so that we did not reveal documents against Sharad Pawar. He is a very good friend of ours. There is nothing like this.

 ‘Singh has proved charges against Pawar again’

IAC complimented Singh for raising the issue and highlighted that the group had earlier raised the same issue which Singh had proved again. IAC said that Pawar's name was included in the list of 15 ministers against whom it had sought a probe for alleged corruption.

"The charges against Sharad Pawar have once again been proved by Y P Singh. IAC congratulates Singh for his courage to speak up against such a powerful minister," it said.

"Our top office-bearers had also carried out a 10-day dharna agitation in July. So it is not proper on Y.P. Singh's part to say that we have kept quiet in the matter of allegations against Sharad Pawar," IAC said.

A statement posted in the Facebook account of India Against Corruption alleged that Pawar has misused his position and has severe charges of graft against him.

"IAC has been saying this since long. Sharad Pawar was also one of the 15 ministers against whom Kejriwal, Sisodia and Gopal Rai were on fast for 10 days at Jantar Mantar from July 25.

Before Singh's press conference, Kejriwal said, "Singh is doing a good work and I respect him, why is he saying all of a sudden, I don't know."