Putting up a brave face two days after he was dropped as Railway Minister in the wake of the bribery scam, Pawan Kumar Bansal on Sunday claimed he is “innocent” and that nothing will come out of the case.
“I am not associated with the case... I assure you (party workers) that nothing will come out from this case,” the Congress leader said at a meeting with local party leaders at his residence in Chandigarh.
Mr. Bansal’s comments came even as the CBI, which has arrested his nephew Vijay Singla, Railway Board Member Mahesh Kumar and others in the Rs. 10-crore bribery scam, is preparing to question him.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I repeatedly maintain that I am innocent,” he told reporters.
Mr. Bansal, who returned to his home town on Saturday night for the first time after the arrest of Mr. Singla for allegedly accepting bribe Rs. 90 lakh in bribe on behalf of Mr. Kumar for fixing the Member (Electrical) post in the Railway Board for him, convened a meeting of local party level office bearers and activists in Chandigarh.
The move was seen as attempt to show that he still enjoys party’s support, party insiders said, adding Mr. Bansal will now chalk out his political strategy in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
ADVERTISEMENT
Welcoming CBI investigation into the bribery charge, Mr. Bansal said, “I have nothing to do with the case.”
“I have faith in the CBI probe... I don’t want to make any comment on the issue, but I have nothing to do with the case,” he said.