Three Rajasthan MLAs summoned by ethics committee to be questioned today

Jaipur, Dec 19 (IANS) Three legislators caught in a sting operation for allegedly demanding commissions in exchange for recommending works from their MLA funds have been summoned for questioning by the Rajasthan Assembly’s Ethics Committee on Friday. Those summoned include BJP MLA Rewantram Danga from Khinvsar, Congress MLA Anita Jatav from Hindaun, and Independent MLA Ritu Banawat from Bayana.

The committee will question all three MLAs individually inside the Assembly premises.

The decision to summon the MLAs was taken at an Ethics Committee meeting held two days ago under the chairmanship of Kailash Verma. Notices were subsequently issued to the three legislators.

Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani had referred the matter to the Ethics Committee on Sunday.

The sting operation allegedly caught the three MLAs on camera negotiating deals to recommend development works from their MLA funds in return for money. A media person, posing as the proprietor of a dummy firm, contacted the MLAs to expose the alleged corruption.

BJP MLA Rewantram Danga allegedly demanded a 40 per cent commission to facilitate a Rs 50 lakh contract. The husband of Independent MLA Ritu Banawat was allegedly involved in negotiations, while Congress MLA Anita Jatav allegedly accepted Rs 50,000 as token money during the interaction.

The Ethics Committee Chairman, Kailash Verma, said the committee strictly monitors the conduct of MLAs and will not tolerate any misconduct. He added that continuous meetings of the committee will be held until December 24, after which a final decision will be taken.

The Assembly’s Ethics Committee comprises 12 MLAs, including the chairman. There are seven BJP MLAs (including the chairman) and five Congress MLAs on the panel. Congress members include Abhimanyu Poonia, Ganesh Ghogra, Bhagwanaram Saini, Moti Ram and Virendra Singh, while BJP members: Jaideep Bihani, Sukhwant Singh, Jethanand Vyas, Balmukund Acharya, Hansraj Patel, Rajendra Gurjar and Chairman Kailash Verma (BJP).

After hearing the MLAs, the Ethics Committee will prepare its report and submit it to the Speaker.

The report will then be tabled in the Assembly, where the House will decide on the committee’s recommendations. The committee may recommend suspension or even cancellation of membership, but final action will require voting in the Assembly.

The bribery case involving BAP MLA Jaykrishna Patel is also pending before the Ethics Committee.

Patel was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on May 4 while allegedly accepting a bribe. According to the ACB, Patel had raised questions related to a mining issue in another district and allegedly demanded Rs 10 crore to withdraw them.

The deal was later settled for Rs 2.50 crore. He was arrested red-handed, and investigations are ongoing. The committee’s report in this case, originally due in September, was later extended.