Bribery charges: CM Sharma freezesLAD funds of 3 MLAs, orders probe

Jaipur: The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP govt ordered a high-level probe into an alleged bribery scandal involving three MLAs Sunday after a sting operation by a leading Hindi daily showed them accepting money in exchange for facilitating contracts under the MLA Local Area Development (MLA-LAD) fund. The expose has come as an embarrassment for the govt in the midst of weeklong celebrations for completing two years in office.The sting operation implicated BJP MLA Revant Ram Danga from Khimsar, Congress MLA Anita Jatav from Hinduan, and Independent Ritu Banawat from Bayana. The authenticity of the footage is yet to be officially verified. Pending the outcome of the inquiry, the MLA-LAD accounts of all three assembly constituencies have been frozen, officials said.The probe, which has to be completed in 15 days, will be conducted by a four-member panel headed by state chief vigilance commissioner Bhaskar Sawant, and comprising panchayati raj principal secretary Joga Ram; principal secretary, finance, Rajan Vishal; and special secretary, home, Manish Goyal."The committee has been directed to submit its report to the chief secretary V Srinivas within 15 days from Sunday. To ensure transparency and accountability during the inquiry, the govt has frozen the MLA LAD accounts of the Khinvsar, Hinduan, and Bayana assembly constituencies, and all implementation and payment processes related to already sanctioned works have been put on hold," Bhajan Lal Sharma said.Rajasthan assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani also took cognisance of the issue and referred the matter to the assembly's ethics committee. "The committee has been asked to submit its report at the earliest. Appropriate action will be taken against those found guilty once the report is received," Devnani said.Reacting to the controversy, cabinet minister Kirori Lal Meena called for a comprehensive investigation, stressing that action should follow strictly on the basis of findings."Public representatives must maintain the highest standards of integrity. Punishment, if any, should follow only after due inquiry," Meena said.Both BJP MLA Danga and Independent MLA Banawat, meanwhile, have rejected the allegations, giving themselves a clean chit and accusing the scribe involved in the sting of falsely implicating them in a fabricated case.Meanwhile, Rajasthan BJP served a show-cause notice to Danga, seeking a written explanation from him in three days. The notice, issued by state BJP president Madan Rathore on the directions of the party's central leadership, warns of disciplinary action if the response is found unsatisfactory. The alleged sting has triggered sharp political reactions across party lines, with calls for accountability and transparency growing louder. Observers say the outcome of the probe will be closely watched as a test of the govt's commitment to probity in public life.