Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Laloo Prasad Yadav tonight (Dec 11, 2003) charged the Centre with trying to shift the blame on Bihar Government to "cover up its lapses" in the killing of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project manager Satyendra Kumar Dubey.

Reacting sharply to the Central Government's denial that it did not disclose the identity of the whistleblower on corruption in the project that is said to have led to Dubey's killing and blaming lawlessness in Bihar for it, Yadav said it "is a lie and an effort to cover up its lapses to safeguard the life of Dubey".

Yadav said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had confirmed receiving Dubey's confidential letter to the Prime Minister. The Vigilance Officer of NHAI had also warned the NHAI engineer for writing such letters to the PM. But the Centre did not initiate any action on Dubey's letter and instead disclosed his identity that proved dangerous for the life of the budding IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) engineer, he alleged.

Normally, when the Centre receives such letters, it informs the concerned State Government for proper action but in this case nothing was done, he said.

The RJD supremo demanded the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) impartially probe all aspects of Dubey's killing.

PTI