Joshi Draws Media Flak Over Dpc

In the weekly post-cabinet press briefing, Joshi was grilled by the media, which views itself as being made an unwilling accessory in the love-hate relationship between DPC and the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

In his original affidavit before the division bench hearing the case of Citu vs Union of India, DPC and others, Joshi stated all the allegations of corruption, bribery and misrepresentation were based on newspaper reports.

Later, advocate-general of Maharashtra C J Sawant conceded the addition suggested by the bench that these allegations later turned out to be baseless.

I am not sure if the advocate-general's declarations could constitute a part of my written affidavit, Joshi said.

He refused to respond to other questions under cover of subjudice.

The court's judgment was awaited. I do not want the judgment to be affected by whatever I speak to the press today. It (reports of corruption) will have to be seen in its entirety. I will speak more on this issue after the court matter is over, he said.

Joshi said though Linda Powers' report which stated that money would be spent on educating people in India about the Enron project had been made public, he also relied on newspaper reports about corruption in the project.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said he would discuss this matter with Sawant and added What I had said (about corruption in the Enron project) had definitely appeared in the press.

We will have to see how long the delay (in starting the project) is before deciding what the cost will be and who will bear it, Joshi said, responding to a question about his statement in the assembly that work on the project would start from August 1.