Ahmedabad, June 21: The opposition Congress in Gujarat today described as "act of political vendetta", filing of corruption cases against its state unit chief Shakersinh Vaghela and former civil supplies minister Jasha Barad by the Narendra Modi government following a Lokayukta report indicting both of them. "The observations made by the Lokayukta are mere recommendations and it is improper to consider them as a final judgement", Gujarat PCC spokesman Arvind Sanghvi told reporters here.

Sanghvi said it was not proper on part of the minister to level such allegations when the inquiry into the case was still going on and there has been no police proceedings. Yesterday, the government had filed corruption cases against Vaghela and Barad following a Lokayukta report that the duo had revoked several detention orders against some businessmen in Mehsana and Kapadvanj who indulged in black marketing in 1998.

The Congress spokesman further said under the Prevention of Black Marketing Act, the state government enjoys discretionary powers to set free any arrested person and the earlier Keshubhai Patel-government had also set free several such persons. "It seems that principle guidelines and suggestions given by the Lokayukta in this case have been treated as crime and the cases have been filed", Sanghvi alleged.

Bureau Report