Satya Pal Malik, the former governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir has claimed that he was told he would get Rs 300-crore bribe if he cleared two files belonging to “Ambani” and an “RSS-affiliated man” during his tenure, a recent report by PTI suggests.
Malik says that he cancelled the deals, and said that PM Modi stood by him on his decision by saying that there was no reason of compromising on corruption.
Malik, who currently holds the gubernatorial post in Meghalaya, also supported the ongoing farmer agitation against the Centre’s farm laws and said he is ready to leave his post and stand with them if their protest continues.
“After going to Kashmir, two files came to me (for clearance), one belonging to Ambani and another to an RSS-affiliated man who was a minister in the previous Mehbooba Mufti-led (PDP-BJP coalition) government and claimed to be very close to the prime minister,” Malik said at a gathering during an event in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.
“I was informed by secretaries in both the departments that there is a scandal involved and I accordingly cancelled both the deals. The secretaries told me that ‘you will get Rs 150 crore each for clearing the files’ but I told them that I have come with five kurta-pajamas and will leave with that only,” said Malik.
A video of his speech has gone viral.
Malik, however, did not elaborate on the two files. The report suggests that Malik was apparently referring to “a file related to the roll-out of a group health insurance policy for government employees, pensioners and accredited journalists, for which the government had tied up with Reliance General Insurance, part of the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group.”
In October 2018, Malik who was then the governor of J&K, had cancelled the tie-up with Reliance General Insurance Company for providing the group health insurance to employees as there was “some bungling” in it, adds the report.
Two days later, Malik had approved foreclosure of the contract with Reliance General Insurance and referred the matter to the Anti-Corruption Bureau for examining the entire process to see whether it was conducted in a transparent and fair manner.
“As a precaution, I took time from the prime minister and briefed him about the two files and the scandal as the people involved were taking his name. I straightaway told him (PM) that I am ready to leave the post but if I stay back, I am not going to clear the files,” Malik said.
Notably, Malik also alleged that Kashmir was the most corrupt place in the country. “In the whole country, four to five per cent commission is sought, but in Kashmir 15 per cent commission is demanded,” he said. Malik also added that under his leadership, there was no big case of corruption reported in the erstwhile state and that he had even declined a favour to his relatives in the valley.