Rajasthan govt suspends Jaipur mayor after her husband arrested for bribery

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has suspended Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation Mayor Munesh Gurjar following her husband’s arrest in a bribery case related to issuance of land deeds.

Gurjar has termed the development a “political conspiracy against her and her family”.

The order was issued late on Saturday night by the state’s Local Self Government Department. The Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation has a Congress board.

Munesh Gurjar’s husband Sushil Gurjar and two alleged middlemen — Narayan Singh and Anil Dubey — were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday night for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 2 lakh in lieu of issuing a land lease.

Later, a search at Gurjar’s home led to the recovery of Rs 40 lakh in cash and the file of the lease. Also, Rs 8 lakh cash was recovered from Narayan Singh’s house, officials said.

In the suspension order, Local Self Government Department Director and Special Secretary Hridesh Kumar Sharma said the mayor is suspended from her post till the investigation completes as her prima facie involvement in the case is suspected.

Talking to reporters, suspended Mayor Munesh Gurjar said, “It is a political conspiracy against me and my family. Those involved in the conspiracy will be trapped one day or the other. I have full faith in the judiciary.”

“He (Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas) should provide his call details — how many times he talked to me, how many complaints he has given me in writing and how many letters he has sent to me for his work and how much I have stopped that work,” she further said.

Khachariyawas, who met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot late on Saturday night and also on Sunday, said, “This decision of the Rajasthan government is a welcome step. Strict action would be taken against any person involved in corruption.”

“Both of them (the mayor and her husband) did not think about the image of the party and its leader. There can be no greater sin,” he said.

“I want the recording by the ACB to be made public. The general public also knows how these people were indulging in corruption. We made a Congress mayor for the welfare of the people not for corruption and theft.”

Adarsh Nagar Congress MLA Rafiq Khan said the Rajasthan government has a zero-tolerance policy for corruption.

“The government suspended the mayor within 24 hours. Whoever indulges in corruption in Rajasthan will face strict action no matter how big he is,” Khan added.