Bank scam accused retracts statement

After the CD was released that ruling BJP termed as fake, Sinha remained untraceable

The prime accused in the multi-crore Priyadarshani cooperative bank in Chhattisgarh, Umesh Sinha, had again created a flutter alleging that no money was paid to the chief minister and his ministers.

Sinha's reported narco analysis test-a CD of which was released by the opposition Congress last month-had put chief minister Raman Singh and four of his ministers under scanner for allegedly receiving pay-off.

The CD footage show him stating thatRs 1 crore was paid to Singh and four ministers Brijmohan Agrawal, Amar Agrawal, Ramvichar Netam and Rajesh Munat.

After the CD was released that ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed as fake, Sinha remained untraceable. On Monday, he appeared in an undisclosed location speaking exclusive to an electronic channel to state that he had not given money to the chief minister and the ministers.

"Whatever I spoke (shown in the CD) was under the influence of the chemical used for the narco tests," Sinha said. He was in the state of unconsciousness and hence was unaware of what he talked, he said, adding that money had not changed hands for covering up the bank scam (that affected more than 25,000 account holders).

The government was quick to react soon after the report went on air. "The Congress leaders should apologise for levelling baseless allegations against us," government spokesperson Brijmohan Agrawal said. The statement of Sinha proved that the chief minister and the ministers were innocent, he added.

The Congress however smelled a foul play and alleged that Sinha's statement was managed. "If Sinha, who was missing since after the CD was released, was so sincere, why didn't he organise a press conference or come public instead of inviting a media person to an undisclosed location to give the statement," senior Congress leader Satyanarayan Sharma said.

The BJP government had kept Sinha under its captivity as he had again gone missing, Sharma said, adding that a probe was required to know where Sinha was, and from where did he appear.

The ruling party had been playing the same game and had earlier "produced" bank chairman and another accused Rita Tiwari to deny pay-off, Sharma said.

"It was the most unfortunate part that a prime accused in bank fraud case was defending the government and the chief minister, his ministers," Sharma said.

It showed how helpless the BJP government was as the chief minister had to take the help of bank scam accused to prove their innocence, he added. The accused was now giving certificate of innocence to Singh and his ministers, Sharma said.

The Congress had reiterated its demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter stating that state police was covering up the issue and influencing, threatening the bank scam accused to speak in favour of government.