Pankaja Munde gets clean chit in 'chikki scam', says charges were a plan to defame her

In a relief for Maharashtra Women and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja Munde, the anti-corruption bureau has given her a clean chit in the 'chikki' case that pertained to alleged irregularities in awarding of contracts for purchase of snacks and other items worth Rs 206 crore for school children.

"The ACB has closed the case. There was nothing to substantiate allegations against her," an ACB official said on Wednesday.

The alleged scam was flagged by the opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government headed by Devendra Fadnavis.

Reacting to the development, Pankaja, daughter of late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, said the allegations were part of a plan to defame her.

"I had said many times that there was no substance in the allegations. On several occasions in the legislative assembly also, I have replied to the charges," she said.

"The ACB has given me a clean chit. I am absolved of the charges. I wasn't involved in any wrongdoing," she said.

In a letter, ACB's Additional CP Keshav Patil had informed MPCC spokesperson Sachin Sawant that no "truth" was found in the allegations against Munde, an ACB official said.

Sawant last year lodged a complaint with the anti- graft agency demanding an inquiry into the allegations against Munde and submitted a file of documents purportedly supporting the charges.

The minister was accused of flouting procedures in awarding contracts for supplying items like 'chikki' (sweetmeat made with nuts and jaggery), mats, notebooks and water filters for school children.

Right from the start, Munde had rubbished the charges and said she was prepared for any inquiry.

"This is a scam of words. The allegations against me are politically motivated," she had said.

Rubbishing the charge, she had claimed that the previous Congress-NCP government had purchased similar items at a cost of Rs 408 crore.

Before approaching the anti-graft agency, Congress and NCP leaders had also accused Fadnavis of shielding Pankaja.