Surat: Shri Satish K Sharma, Police Commissioner of Surat, today issued a rebuttal regarding false newspaper reports.

In his rebuttal, Shri Sharma said: ‘In some sections of media it has appeared that a retired sub-inspector of police has alleged that Shri Rakesh Asthana, IPS, then Commissioner of Police, Surat during his tenure (2011-16) had transferred Rs. 20 crore from Police welfare fund to BJP political party.’

‘On verifying the records, it has been found that this is an utterly false and baseless accusation. It is hereby clarified that no amount whatsoever has been transferred from Police Welfare Fund to the BJP fund during Shri Asthana’s tenure as Commissioner of Police, Surat (2011-16).’

In separate statement, minister of state for Home, Government of Gujarat, Pradipsinh Jadeja said, ‘the reports are baseless and far from truth. When records were checked, not a single pie from police welfare fund was found to have deposited in BJP fund. The elements that used a retired police sub inspector as tool to falsely defaming BJP are exposed now as it is proved that not a single Rupee was deposited from police welfare fund to BJP.

Jadeja said, ‘elements that want to defame BJP for any reason put such baseless news in circulation. Those spreading lies want to fail the politics of development by trying to tarnish BJP’s image.’

DeshGujarat