The central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday questioned Punjab industries and local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia in connection with a Rs.1.5 crores graft case.
Social welfare and justice minister Swarna Ram has also been summoned for questioning. Kalia remained at the CBI office here in sector 30 for nearly an hour as CBI officials questioned him regarding the graft case, in which his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) colleague and chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) Raj Khurana was arrested last week.
The CBI probe is related to an alleged bribe Khurana and a former state employee sought over a land deal case. The money, they allegedly said, was meant for the two ministers. Khurana on Sunday resigned from the post of chief parliamentary secretary.
"The questioning went for about 50 minutes and they asked various details about the case. I made one thing very clear that I did not know anything about this corruption case and have no knowledge about the money involved in it," Kalia later told reporters. "I am not afraid of CBI interrogation. In fact. I had called the investigation officer myself and fixed an appointment. In future also I am ready to cooperate in the investigation process," Kalia said. He added: "I want to make it clear that the CBI has not named me in the Fir (first information report) and they have only called me for simple questioning.
Therefore, I see no reason to resign. I am innocent and have full belief that truth will come out in public." Nearly 200 BJP supporters had gathered outside the CBI office here, shouting slogans, while the questioning was going on. After Kalia's questioning, minister Swarna Ram arrived at the CBI office. The CBI arrested Raj Khurana May 5 from his official residence after a raid at his house on Wednesday night. The agency also arrested Devinder Singh Bittu, a former state government employee, from Khurana's residence and seized Rs.15 lakh in cash, cheques worth Rs.1.5 crores and an expensive Porsche car. The CBI officials, who were trailing Bittu, alleged that Khurana and Bittu had demanded bribe from an association of mechanics to settle a case involving a land deal near Rajpura, 45 km from here. The two said they were asking the money for the two ministers. Kalia is one of the senior most ministers in the Punjab Cabinet after chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.