Mumbai: Maharashtra PWD Minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal today refuted the charges levelled against him by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in connection with coal block allocations.
"Somaiya has a habit of levelling false allegations," Bhujbal told reporters here.
"The allegations made by Somaiya are baseless. I had not applied for any coal blocks. I am not in partnership with anybody," Bhujbal said.
Somaiya had recently called for a probe in the links between the minister`s Armstrong Energy and Abhijeet Infrastructure, a Manoj Jaiswal group, against whom the CBI has filed an FIR.
"I am pained as the media is also blowing the issue out of proportion," the NCP minister added.
Bhujbal said that his nephew Samir Bhujbal was trying for a coal field in Indonesia, which had no relation with the scam.
Somaiya had alleged that there was no business activity in Armstrong Energy, except for purchasing two coal mines in Singapore and Indonesia for Bhujbal`s power plant in Nashik.
"Abhijeet group was given a PWD contract of Rs 1,256 crore four months ago in Akola-Waranga-Hingoli Road. A probe should be ordered whether Armstrong Energy was a front for Abhijeet group," the BJP leader had demanded.
PTI
