‘Vice President Cheney hosting the Advanis’

Officials in the Home and External Affairs ministries said the Government had not paid for anyone except the official delegation which comprised the DPM, his OSD Ajai Prasad, Personal Secretary Deepak Chopra, Home Secretary N. Gopalaswami, Director Intelligence Bureau K.P. Singh and Joint Secretary (America) Jayant Prasad.

To take their wives along, the officials had availed of the carrier’s one plus one scheme, offered in the Business Class. The DPM paid for his children, Jayant and Pratibha.

‘‘All the officials paid the taxes from their account, as also the visa fee for their wives. Even within the US, travel was taken care of by them personally,’’ an official explained. Travel from NY to Washington to LA to Chicago, and back to NY — by United Airlines — was paid for by officials. And onward trip to UK and back was again taken care of by them, the official added. ‘‘No tax payers’ money has been spent on the trip. At worst, officials can be charged with taking their wives along on an official trip. But as long as it is not hampering their official duties, nobody has cause to complain,’’ an official said.