Prithviraj Chavan for CBI probe in ex-SRA babu's claim of paying Rs 7 crore to stop transfer

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday demanded a CBI inquiry into a "claim" made by an IAS officer posted earlier in the SRA that he had paid Rs 7 crore to a former chief secretary of Maharashtra to cancel his transfer from the "lucrative" post.[caption id="attachment_3917147" align="alignleft" width="380"]

File image of Prithviraj Chavan. AFP[/caption]Chavan told the Legislative Assembly that the officer's claim "raises doubts" on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) comes under him."A regional news channel had aired an interview with an IAS officer, who claimed that he had paid Rs 7 crore to cancel his transfer from the post of SRA deputy chairman. He claimed that the amount was paid to the then chief secretary of Maharashtra," Chavan said."This is serious and raises doubts on Fadnavis himself. There should be a CBI inquiry into this matter," the former Maharashtra chief minister said."The SRA comes directly under the chief minister. If an IAS officer, who had served as the deputy chairman of the SRA, makes such allegations against the then chief secretary of the state, it also raises questions over the image of Fadnavis," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.Fadnavis will make a statement on the issue in the House on Friday.