Former Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand JPN Singh has given clean chit to himself and instead put the blame on travel agent who, he said, misused the concessional air travel provisions. The CBI is probing Singh and several other MPs for defrauding concession air tickets fare and getting reimbursement in full.
“The agent was managing air travel of five other MPs. He actually caused the whole mess. Agents get bonus tickets in lieu of booking a certain number of tickets and our agent placed those tickets to me and produced bill equal to the actual fare. I paid those by account payee cheuqes and claimed the money against the bill what I got from the agent that was later reimbursed,” said JPN Singh on Sunday denying any culpability from his side.
The premier investigation agency of the country is probing the cheating case against him and some other MPs for placing inflated air travel bills for getting reimbursements while their spouses were given tickets on concessional rates. Though he did not reply satisfactorily when asked why he did not complain or objected to the higher bill than expected from the agent at the first place as he was fully aware that he would get tickets as reduced prices.
Singh, who remained in the Upper House between 2008 and 2014, further added that he had availed over 400 such air tickets whereas the case was against just six such transactions.
“Had I any intensions to do this then why just for six tickets whereas I availed nearly 400 such air travels during my tenure in the Rajya Sabha. I have made my position clear before the CBI and want them investigate the case on fast track basis,” said Singh.
JPN Singh, also a BJP member, indicated towards some malafide intension behind the entire affairs as the cases were filled very recently which were related to air travels done in 2011. “It is also baffling that when polls are so near in Jharkhand the matter has been brought into light. It is to malign my image. I want the matter to be probed as soon as possible. I want to come out clean from all this,” added he.
Commenting about political situation in Jharkhand the former MP said that like at the Center the State would also see a single party majority Government and he was ready to play whatever role assigned to him from the BJP.
Though, he clarified that this controversy was nothing to do with the party and was his personal matter altogether. Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Parimal Nathwani was present in the press conference with him and backed Singh on the issue.