I don’t have to say everything, says Bansal

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal spent an hour in his chamber at Rail Bhawan on Friday evening amidst reports of his exit from the Cabinet in the wake of the bribery charge involving his nephew.

“I don’t have to say everything,” Mr. Bansal said when asked, as he emerged from his chamber, whether he had resigned.

He arrived at Rail Bhawan even as news came that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, setting off speculation on his possible removal from the Cabinet.

“I can’t guide TV channels,” he said when told about news that was being broadcast about his resignation.

He maintained he had nothing to say other than reiterating his statement that he had done no wrong and that the CBI was investigating the matter and that he wanted it to expeditiously complete the probe.

Mr. Bansal went directly to his residence from Rail Bhawan. During his brief stay, he met his close aides and called for files from the room of his private secretary, Rahul Bhandari, whom the CBI had questioned.

Mr. Bhandari has not attended office since then for three days now. He apparently had no meeting with any senior official of the Railway Board or his junior colleague who was present at Rail Bhawan.