NEW DELHI: The Centre has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of shielding former foreign minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid by dragging the inquiry into the alleged irregularities by an NGO run by his family.

In 2012, Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust came into focus after allegations of misappropriation in the distribution of equipment to handicapped people in UP — the controversy prompting the state government to hand over the probe to its economic offences wing (EOW). Since then, there has been no word on the progress in the case. Khurshids have denied any malfeasance.

An exasperated Union social justice minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot told TOI, “We have sent three reminders to the chief minister and the ministerial secretary has spoken once, but there has been no reply from UP government . It is one and half years that EOW took over the probe but there has been no prime facie report from the state.”

Gehlot said in the face of stonewalling by UP, he even thought of writing to the governor but gave up the idea as it would have been “inappropriate” for a Union minister.

“We want a quick probe so that action can be initiated on the issue … the guilty should be punished, especially if people in such high positions or their family indulges in alleged irregularities,” he said.

The bid to turn the spotlight back on allegations against Khurshid’s NGO comes amid the confrontation between BJP and Congress over Lalitgate and Vyapam scam.

Angry at the delay in winding up the inquiry, Union minister Gehlot said, “I asked CM of UP many times. Around five months ago, the ministry officers also met the officials in EOW conducting the probe. We requested for an early report. But we still have no clue about its status. There has been no message either from the CM or the EOW.”

The state inquiry has turned into a spoiler for BJP which had nursed hopes of nailing a Congress biggie for alleged irregularities. After coming to power in Delhi, the Centre referred the case to CBI but was surprised when the agency turned it down by arguing that EOW of UP was already seized of the case.

To mount fresh pressure on the state, sources said BJP is mulling the possibility of asking its over-70 MPs from UP to write to the CM for an early end to the probe.