By IANS,
Chandigarh : Perturbed over his name surfacing in a Rs.1.5 crore corruption case, Punjab Industries and Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia Thursday night said it was an attempt by the Congress to implicate him in a false case.
“I have nothing to do with this case. After highlighting of this case, I myself checked its history and I was not even aware about it earlier. This is an attempt of Congress to tarnish my image by implicating me in a false case,” Kalia, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, told reporters here Thursday night.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Thursday arrested Punjab’s chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) and BJP legislator Raj Khurana from his official residence here on charges of corruption. It said that more officials could be involved in the Rs.1.5 crore bribery case.
While arguing in the CBI special court here Thursday evening, the investigation agency’s lawyer said there is a possibility of Kalia’s involvement in the case.
“CBI is working hand in glove with Congress party. I am very unhappy and I am planning to file a defamation case against CBI,” stated Kalia.
Ashwani Sharma, Punjab BJP chief, told reporters, “Next year we have elections in Punjab and Congress is very disturbed. They have nothing to their credit therefore they are trying to file false cases against BJP leaders by working in connivance with CBI.”