Mangaluru: Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U.T. Khader claimed on Friday that IAS officer, Anurag Tiwari, who was found dead in Lucknow, had never spoken of being under any pressure or about unearthing a scam during his tenure as commissioner of the department.
“We are deeply saddened by his death and will cooperate with any inquiry,” he said. Revealing that although Mr Tiwari took charge as commissioner on January 4, he was on duty for only 37 days, he said that the officer went to Punjab as observer for the election there in January and on returning left for training before going on leave.
“So in the 132 days since taking charge he was on duty for only 37 days. There are allegations that he was under pressure and had come across a scam in the department. But when I asked my Secretary and other officials about this they said he had never told anybody either orally or in writing about being under any stress or a scam in the department. Let the inquiry into his death reveal the truth,” he maintained.
On the BJP’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the officer’s death, Mr Khader said it was upto the UP government to take a call on it. “We are ready to cooperate with any inquiry,” he added.As for a departmental inquiry, he said he would look into it.
“I would not focus much on the comments made by the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is sad that some leaders are politicising his death. They have done this earlier too,” he deplored.
