Kalpnath Rai denies Dawood connection, says charges are politically motivated

Former federal minister Kalpnath Rai denied that he had any links with the associates of Dawood Ibrahim, alleging that the CBI had filed chargesheets against him for harbouring terrorists on "extraneous/politically motivated considerations."

He also denied that he had accepted money from S K Jain, the prime accused in the hawala case.

"I have great faith in our legal system and time will prove that I was the victim of a nefarious design to tarnish my image on the eve of the Lok Sabha poll," Rai said.

Reacting to a designated TADA court's decision to issue non-bailable warrants against him for allegedly harbouring terrorists of the Dawood Ibrahim gang, Rai said, "The judicial system is welcome, but not to the extent where it harasses and humiliates political leaders of the country. I will present myself before the honourable court on February 12 as a law abiding citizen."

"During my tenure as minister of energy and food," Rai said, "My secretary, Mr S P Rai, was given charge of my constituency people and of people coming from the adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from getting their railway reservation, telephone connections, LPG connections, he was also getting these people guesthouse accommodation in Delhi, those who cannot afford to stay in hotels etc. But I have never given any instructions to give any guesthouse accommodation to the alleged associates of Dawood Ibrahim.

"Later when this case was brought to my notice, I came to know that the NPTC guesthouse accommodation was booked in the name of my brother-in-law, Vijai Narain Rai, by S P Rai, who never stayed in the guesthouse. I am not aware who stayed in that guesthouse. If my secretary had accommodated some unwanted persons, I am not aware of it," Rai said in a statement.

He said the CBI had, after collecting necessary information and evidence, found no prima facie case against him. ''Now after three years, a chargesheet has been filed on extraneous/politically motivated considerations," he said.

In the hawala case, Rai said he had been implicated without any cogent evidence. "As minister, I never favoured anybody and I call upon the CBI to disclose any order passed by me, favouring anybody from 1988 to 1991."

He said he was minister of state for power under Vasant Sathe and "as a minister of state I have no powers to take any decision/policy decision, so the question of favouring anybody does not arise. Then, why should Mr S K Jain pay me any money?