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 here.
Mr Bansal’s comments came even as CBI, which has arrested his nephew Vijay Singla, Railway Board Member Mahesh Kumar and others in the `10-crore bribery scam, is preparing to quiz him.
“I repeatedly maintain that I am innocent,” he told reporters at the venue.
Mr Bansal, who returned to his hometown Saturday night for the first time after the arrest of Singla for allegedly accepting bribe `90 lakhs in bribe on behalf of Kumar for fixing a plum plum post for him as member (electrical) in the Railway Board, convened a meeting of local party level office bearers and activists here. 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.
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.
When his attention was drawn to the BJP’s allegations about his family’s involvement in the case, a furious Mr Bansal retorted, “It appears I will have to separately explain the definition of family to each one of you (media persons).”