SILCHAR:Amid CM Vigilance Cell investigation, the Congress MLA Kamalaksha Dey Purkayastha admitted that he along with four others had purchased Pramodnagar and Krishnapur TE in South Karimganj. Out of Rs 3.20 crores they had paid to the proprietor of the tea gardens, Purkayastha himself had given Rs 89 lakhs. Purkayastha, who is also the working president of the State Congress Committee further said, he had taken loan of Rs 59 lakhs from his sister-in-law Mitali Dey Purkayastha and he himself paid Rs 30 lakhs from his own deposit, though in instalment. Purkayastha however claimed that the entire transaction was absolutely transparent and no way had violated any legal norms. He pointed fingers at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleging that since he was vocal against ‘illegal procurement’ of agriculture land by Sarma’s family, the Vigilance Cell had been asked to target him. Total area of the garden, previously belonging to Ashwini Mourya of Kolkata, is 220 hectre.
Kamalaksha Dey Purkayastha, the three times MLA from North Karimganj had purchased the Pramodnagar TE seven months ago. Speaking to this correspondent, Purkayastha said, both the gardens were sick so the labourers approached him to bail them out. Since he did not have so much of money, Purkayastha discussed the proposal with three other businessmen of the town and finally the deal was settled at Rs 3.20 crores. After the agreement was inked, Moinul Haque Laskar lodged a complaint with the CM Vigilance Cell alleging that the transaction lacked transparency as government fee was not paid. In response to this complaint, a ten member team of Vigilance arrived at Karimganj on last Wednesday and visited the tea garden and seized some documents. They also quizzed Suman Dhar and Kishore Purkaystha, two partners of the MLA.
A reliable source said, Purkayastha had been investing money in his sister-in-law Mitali Dey Purkayastha’s construction firm. Purkayastha admitted that his sister-in-law was a registered contractor with the PHE department. His elder brother Kalyan was a contractual staff with the P&RD department. Purkayastha further said, he used to invest in his sister-in-law’s firm from his salary and got his share of profit accordingly. However, the Vigilance Cell had reportedly come to know that Mitali had recently got a work order under Jal Jeeban Mission worth Rs 4.60 crores and before completion of the work she had received Rs. 2.05 crores from the department. While asked, Purkayastha said, if it be so, the government should at first instance, take action against the PHE officials who had allegedly released the amount.
Purkayastha said, he had been in the target list of the Chief Minister for long time as he had been vocal against various misdeed of Himanta Biswa Sarma and his government. “It is purely a vendetta game by the CM. He is desperate to malign the images of those who have pointed fingers at his corruption,” Purkayastha retorted.
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