Aam Aadmi Party's Law Minister Somnath Bharti is facing allegations that he tried to influence a witness and tamper with evidence in a case he handled last year. Both Congress and BJP are demanding his resignation or his removal from the office.
Mr Bharti speaks out on the allegations levelled against him. Here are the highlights:
- There are no allegations against me. I did nothing wrong. why should I resign?
- I have been accused and I would like to clarify my stand.
- At that time Manmohan Singh was AGM of the bank and their were two chief managers. They were in the chain for that transactions.
- Only my client Pawan Kumar, who was a desk clerk, was accused in the controversy.
- CBI prosecuted only in two cases making Pawan the accused.
- The scam is of 116 crore involving letters of credit.
- I had tried to attract media attention last year.
- No attempt has been made to trace the trail of the money in the scam.
- Pawan's bail was dismissed by the Delhi High Court.
- The Supreme Court did not see the bail application and did not have a reason to do so.
- I have not seen any tampering of evidence and I will appeal to the CBI to bring the actual people to justice.
- I have not approached the prosecution witness.
- There is no bar in speaking to the prosecution witness if the reason is to unearth truth.