MP recruitment scam: Digvijay faces non-bailable arrest warrant

A local Bhopal court on Friday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Congress leader Digvijay Singh in an alleged recruitment scam at assembly secretariat which took place when he was the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.

Special sessions Judge Kashinath Singh issued the warrant after the Congress general secretary, an accused in the alleged scam, did not turn up in the court where a 169-page supplementary charge sheet was filed on Friday.

The Rajya Sabha member was summoned by prosecuting agency -- the MP police -- to attend the court proceedings.

The seven other accused, including K K Kaushal and A K Pyasi -- who appeared in the court -- were granted bail after they furnished a personal security bond of Rs 30,000 each. Kaushal and Pyasi were employees of the secretariat.

The Court fixed March 14 for hearing.

Ahead of filing the charge sheet last year, the police had grilled the veteran Congressman for five hours in connection with the scam.

The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in recruitment in the MP Assembly secretariat in Bhopal between 1993 and 2003 when Singh was the CM.

Last year, Singh had reportedly told investigators that all recruitments in the secretariat during his tenure were done with the approval of state cabinet and as per prescribed rules.

The accused have been charged with forgery, cheating, conspiracy and misuse of office as well as offences under the prevention of corruption act.