RS adjourned over CAG report against Gadkari's Purti Group

The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned five times after the Congress demanded Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's resignation over the CAG report alleging financial irregularities by his Purti Group.

Gadkari, however, said that the report has not named him as a wrongdoer and added that there was no charge of corruption against him.

"My respectful submission before this august House is that let us follow the established procedure in the matter of CAG reports and if any wrongdoing is established by the PAC, which will be discussing the CAG report in due course of time, the law should take its own course," said Gadkari.

"The CAG has nowhere named me as a wrongdoer nor there any adverse comment against me. There is neither any indictment nor any charge of corruption or misappropriation against me of the PSKL," he added.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari had submitted a notice in the Rajya Sabha targeting Gadkari over the same.

Earlier in 2012, following an RTI disclosure, a number of irregularities were discovered regarding investments in the Purti group, which Gadkari had founded.

It was widely reported that this may have been why he failed to be re-elected as BJP president in January 2013.

In May 2013, the Income Tax department assessed the firm as having evaded Rs. 70 million via improper means.

On May 13, 2014, the IT Department of Maharashtra cleared Gadkari's name and gave him a clean chit, saying there was no enquiry or investigation presently pending.