New Delhi: With controversy erupting over
Padma Bhushan for NRI hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, Government
stepped in to clear the air saying "due diligence" was done
before selection and that the CBI had closed three cases of
financial irregularities against him.
The Government came out with an unusual clarification
saying its attention has been drawn to some media reports
about the conferment of the Padma Bhushan award on Chatwal.
The release also hailed Chatwal as a "tireless advocate"
of India’s interests in the US and has been working
relentlessly for strengthening bilateral relationships between
the two countries.
He was ac active member of NRI committee in the US in
securing support for the nuclear deal among the members of US
Congress.
Referring to the allegations of financial irregularities
against him, the Government clarified that between 1992 and
1994, the CBI had registered five cases against him and some
bank officials for conniving with the intention of defrauding
the Bank of Baroda and Bank of India.
"Three of these cases were closed by CBI itself while
charge sheets were filed by the CBI in two cases before the
Court of Special Judge, CBI, Mumbai. In these two cases, the
Court discharged Chatwal," it said, adding as per available
reports, there is nothing adverse on record against him.
A "due diligence" exercise is undertaken in respect of
each awardee in consultation with appropriate agencies before
announcement of the award.
Its political bankruptcy: BJP
BJP today insisted that the government`s decision to bestow Padma Bhushan on controversial Chatwal was a "mistake" and it has shown
political bankruptcy by rewarding a "broker".
"The UPA government is committing mistakes after mistakes,
one by one. Now they have given Padma Bhushan to Sant Singh
Chatwal, who had earlier declared himself bankrupt," BJP
spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
"What can be more politically bankrupt that to honour
one who has declared himself bankrupt," he added.
The main opposition sought to know what were the
achievements of Chatwal that the government found him worthy
of this award.
"Chatwal has claimed that he brokered the Indo-US
nuclear deal. Since when did this convention of honouring
brokers come into being?" Javadekar sought to know.
Earlier, BJP Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath
Munde had written a letter to President Pratibha Patil and
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against the decision and
demanded that the award be withdrawn.
Following BJP`s attack over the issue, Congress spokesman
Shakeel Ahmed yesterday said: In general, the party wants
these awards to be given to people who enhance its prestige
and not to those with a taint.
Some activists and senior journalists plan to file an
RTI application to know how Chatwal - who reportedly did not
figure in the initial list of Padma awardees - managed to get
the honour.
-PTI
