Pawan Kumar Bansal meets PM, offers to quit

Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal is in the dock following the arrest of his nephew Vijay Singla in an alleged bribery case.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: In the dock following the arrest of his nephew Vijay Singla in an alleged bribery case, Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and offered to quit, reports said. As per sources, the PM is unlikely to accept Bansal`s resignation. It may be noted that the Congress Core Group is meeting at 5 pm later today and could take a decision on Bansal`s fate amid demands from the opposition for his sacking. Railway Board chairman Vinay Mittal also met Bansal at the latter`s residence here. Denying any wrongdoing, Bansal had earlier today distanced himself from his nephew who was arrested yesterday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh for fixing a top level position in the government. Bansal said he has "always followed utmost probity in public life" and added he was "looking forward to an expeditious CBI inquiry into the matter". "I neither have any business relations with my nephew nor have done any financial transactions with him," the minister stated categorically. "Regarding yesterday`s incident involving my sister`s firm in a CBI raid at Chandigarh, I have to say that I have no knowledge or proof about the matter at all. Though a close relative, he or any other relative of mine does not and cannot meddle in my official function or influence my decision. There is also no business relationship between his and my family," the minister stated. Bansal`s nephew, Vijay Singla, was held by the CBI, which also arrested three other persons, including a railway official.