Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday suggested that the veracity of statements made by former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik should be examined. Malik, who was the last governor of Jammu and Kashmir before that state was divided into Union territories, had made disparaging statements against the BJP-led government at the Centre in a recent interview with journalist Karan Thapar.
“The BJP hasn’t done anything that needs to be hidden. The issue should not be discussed in a public forum. If he had information about irregularities, he should have spoken during his tenure. Why is he making such claims now? This calls for a credibility check,” said Amit Shah while speaking at the India Today Karnataka Roundtable 2023 on April 22.
In a recent interview, Satya Pal Malik made a number of accusations, including the claim that the Pulwama tragedy happened because of the Central government’s “lackadaisical approach” as “the Army was denied air movement of troops by the Central government.”
Further talking about Malik’s CBI summons following his allegations, Shah said, “It is not the first time that he has been called in. He is being probed in an alleged insurance scam and the probe agency is just doing its duty. There is no relation between the CBI summons and his allegations.”
Satya Pal Malik has been called by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in relation to his allegation that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe to clear two files related to Reliance Insurance during his tenure as governor of J&K.
Regarding rumours that Malik had joined forces with an opposition group, Shah stated, “He made the claims after separating himself from us, so his claims are doubtful.” For a very long time, Malik Ji has been a member of the party. People occasionally undergo transformation. Voters should exercise caution, Shah advised.
According to authorities, the CBI has asked Satya Pal Malik, a former governor of Jammu and Kashmir, to provide answers to specific questions on an alleged insurance scam in the Union Territory.
Malik, who has held office as the governor of many states, will be interrogated by the CBI for the second time in seven months. He was interrogated in October of last year after completing his duties as governor of Meghalaya, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, and Bihar.
Malik responded to the situation by telling PTI that the CBI had requested his attendance at the agency’s guesthouse on Akbar Road for “certain clarifications”.