Former Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today broke his silence over the rail bribery scam and said his action is nowhere in any consonance with what is being claimed in the transcripts of conversation of the accused recorded by the CBI. He claimed that there was nothing wrong in the appointments made by him. The bribery scam came to light after the CBI raided the office and residence of Bansals nephew Vijay Singla. He was arrested while accepting Rs 90 lakh as bribe from Mahesh Kumar,the now suspended Member of the Railway Board. Kumar,the then General Manager of Western Railways wanted to be appointed Member (Electrical) in the Railway Board and a deal for Rs 10 crore was allegedly fixed for this. A total of 10 accused were arrested in the case. Bansal resigned following the controversy after the arrest. Bansal has since been questioned by the CBI and made a prosecution witness. Talking to The Indian Express,Bansal says that there was a proposal prepared by the GM for appointment of Mahesh Kumar as Member (Staff). I approved the proposal on April 18. The post of Member (Electrical) would not have become vacant as the incumbent still had 15 months left in office, he said. As in the past,the Ministry could have put the promotion process on hold for two months till the Chairman of Railway Board retired. Thereafter the present Member (Electrical) could have become the Chairman and Mahesh Kumar Member (Electrical). However,this was not done, Bansal said. He said rules do not allow lateral appointments in the Railway Board. By appointing Mahesh Kumar as Member (Staff) his chances of becoming Member (Electrical) were thwarted. Bansal said,The promotion of Mahesh Kumar has been done as per rules. No officer senior to him fulfilling the norms has been superseded. In the transcripts of the conversation that form part of the CBI chargesheet,one of the accused Sandeep Goyal while talking to Mahesh Kumar in a conversation recorded on April 20 says that the Minister has told him that no proposal has been prepared for the post of MS. Bansal said Mahesh Kumar was also not given additional charge of S&T Directorate along with Member (Staff). He said the allegations being levelled are mere presumptions. I heard the names of the people who are the accused for the first time. I did not know what was going on. However,I have not made any appointment that is not as per rules, he said.
