What appears to have shocked the Government more is that Barnala recently faxed a message to Civil Supplies Minister Jaspal Singh. ordering the release even as the four are absconding, Sachivalaya sources said on Tuesday. Singh refused to meet reporters.

The sources said what was surprising was the fact that even when none of the four was arrested in connection with the supply of ``adulterated'' edible oil, a copy of the faxed message was sent directly to the jail superintendent at Bhuj, without taking the Government into confidence.

Apparently irked, Singh is considering drawing Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's attention to it, while Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel has taken a serious view and is planning to apprise his Central party bosses of it, the sources said.

The previous RJP Government had asked Civil Supplies Corporation to purchase 60,000 tins of groundnut oil worth about Rs 4 crore for the mid-day meal scheme. The corporation asked GUJCOMASOL, a premier co-operative body, to supply the oil. But, GUJCOMASOL did not have stocks and procured the oil from a Kadi-based firm.