New Delhi:
In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Rahul Shrivastava, the BJP leader whose house was raided by Income Tax officials in connection with the CWG scam says he's being made "a political scapegoat." Here's the complete transcript of NDTV's interview with Sudhanshu Mittal.
NDTV: At the heart of the controversial Income Tax raids against operators and contractors who are part of the CWG, was Mr Sudhanshu Mittal, businessman and BJP leader. Mr. Mittal, the coincidence that your shadow is almost in every place which was raided is perhaps an attempt by the IT department... or there might be some fact which can establish that you are a part of different companies which were raided and to ascertain what facts lie there?
Sudhanshu Mittal: I'm just being made a political scapegoat. Let me place the facts on record. I own a company called Delhi Tents and Decorators and my company did direct business with the various agencies of CWG to the tune of Rs 29 lakh. Not Rs 29 crore. On an expenditure of Rs 77,000 crore, my company does a business of Rs 29 lakh, and I have become the fountainhead of corruption. Is it fair?
NDTV: But there are other companies which have got larger businesses...
Sudhanshu Mittal: Now let me come down to that. I've been linked with Deepali Designs and Exhibits. I have not one share in Deepali Design and Exhibits. Neither does any member of my family have even one share.
NDTV: Not your immediate family.
Sudhanshu Mittal: My wife, my mother, my father, none.
NDTV: Who owns it?
Sudhanshu Mittal: It's a distant relative of mine and look, we've been competitors for 30 years. There was a request made to me to join the board as an independent director. I joined in Feb this year and in July I left.
NDTV: But questions will be asked. Because the first contract that Deepali got was after you became the director.
Sudhanshu Mittal: Let me explain. When did Deepali bid for the contract? Before I became the director.
NDTV: It was only after February, you brought good luck to them.
Sudhanshu Mittal: I don't think so. I haven't checked on the site but I can seriously dispute this fact. That is not the fact. Anyway, even if they got, they had already made the tender and I had resigned in July itself. And I was an independent director. How do I own that company then? Let me now place on record the role of Deepali, vis-a-vis CWG and this contract. Deepali is a minor partner with Pico. The total share of business for Deepali is only Rs 35-36 crore and that too, on generators and electric cabling items - and none of the fancy items which are so called quoted.
NDTV: Mr Mittal, I can see you are unhappy with the kind of publicity you have got, but as a politician who will support public accountability, won't you agree that Rs 35 crore needs to be investigated?
Sudhanshu Mittal: Let them investigate Deepali, why me?
NDTV: Because you are part of the Delhi Tent House which did also get a contract.
Sudhanshu Mittal: I got a contract for 29 lakhs. Please understand, this is in proportion to the proposition - Rs 77,000 crore and Rs 29 lakh. If you think that's the prime target, then good luck to all the probe. I am being made a political scapegoat, this is political witch-hunting.
NDTV: The timing is being doubted, but the fact that you as a businessman today are facing raids at the tail end of the CWG but at the time of the contracts, weren't you harassed also by the Organizing Committee (OC), because there were lot of demands as far as the inflated rates were concerned. During the time of contracts, you were in Deepali, don't you think the rates were inflated? And businessmen were harassed at that time?
Sudhanshu Mittal: This is all nonsense.
NDTV: Will you say the OC did fair business with the businessmen?
Sudhanshu Mittal: Yes, let me explain this to you. I am an independent director. I'm not involved.
NDTV: But you would've known. You are a businessman and your relative is there. Would you give a clean chit to the OC that it did not harass businessmen?
Sudhanshu Mittal: As far as I am concerned, I have had no harassment, I've had works in 2-3 contracts and all the payments were very fair. Rs 77,000 crore have been spent, surely there must be a probe. Surely people have a right to know how and where it was spent. What happened, was it fair or unfair... please do it. But stop political witch-hunting.
NDTV: Do you think that it's just an attempt to silence BJP?
Sudhanshu Mittal: The facts are out. It is an attempt to embarrass me. Consequently, everybody gets embarrassed which is unfair. Because I've explained my role and look I'm making a request to the media. On contrived information, on imaginary facts, on rumours, please do not destroy one's reputation. It's unfair. I've become the fountainhead of corruption by getting a contract for Rs 29 lakh, when you are talking about Rs 77, 000 crore. That's unfair.