The past “misdeeds” has seemingly returned to haunt the Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and his family members. Continuing its mission to dig up dirt on Bansal and his family members, the BJP on Tuesday produced documents alleging that his family owned Theon Pharmaceuticals registered staggering turnover due to unethical acts.
Chandigarh BJP alleged that Theon Pharmaceuticals, a company owned by Bansal’s wife Madhu and sons Amit and Manish clocked a turnover of Rs 152 crore last year due to misuse of Bansal’s political position.
Stepping up its attack on Bansal and his family members, the party put forth reports of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare and drugs testing reports of Drug Control laboratory Maharashtra on Himachal based Theon Pharmaceuticals in past two years.
While addressing media persons here, Satya Pal Jain, BJP national in-charge of the legal & legislative Cell and former Chandigarh MP said, “The company owned by the Bansal’s family manufactured sub-standard medicines, tried to mint money due to exemption of excise duty and managed huge rise in financial fortunes in past five years.”
Giving details of the tests conducted by Drugs Control laboratory Maharashtra, Jain said, “The laboratory conducted four tests of various medicines manufactured by Theon Pharmaceuticals in last two years. And, the reports stated that the various contents in medicines tested were less than the labeled amount on the medicines. The tests were conducted in February 2011, June 2011, December 2011 and May 2012.”
“The reports of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare tabled in Parliament last year also stated that there are no scientific evidence to show that 33 various drugs tested are really effective and safe on Indian patients,” added Jain.
The BJP further alleged that Congress shielded the wrongdoings of Bansal and his family members as no action was taken against them even as sub-standard medicines were reportedly manufactured in their company.
Another proof put forth by the party included a CD of sting operation conducted by a news channel in 2007 on how Bansal’s son Amit managed to make dual profits due to exemption from paying excise duty in previous Himachal government policy.
According to the reports, Theon had a turnover of Rs 15.35 crore in 2008, and kept registering a staggering growth and recorded Rs 105 crore (2011) and Rs 152 crore (2012). Bansal family members had floated Theon in 2005.
BJP leader Jain added, “The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate into the properties of Bansal and his relatives.”
The party reiterated its demand that CBI should interrogate Bansal over the alleged involvement of his nephew in the Railway Board bribery scandal.
Jain further added, “Bansal is an important link in the scam and he should be interrogated soon.”
Bansal's nephew Singla was arrested by CBI on Friday on charge of accepting bribe to fix plum position in the Railway Board.
‘Ajay has close links with Bansal, nephew’
The BJP on Tuesday claimed that Ajay Garg, who was arrested by the CBI on Tuesday, has close links with Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and his arrested nephew Vijay Singla.
Revealing details of another company floated by Bansal’s relatives, the party said that JR Electronics and Packaging Private limited floated by Bansal relatives had appointed Ajay Garg as director in the year 2008. Ajay is a resident of Sector 6 Panchkula.
The party also claimed that all the accused in the case are close relatives of Bansal. The CBI on Tuesday arrested Ajay Garg, one of the key accused in the Railway Board bribery case. Garg was the aide of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla.