LT C scam: JD(U) MP pleads innocence after party serves showcause notice

Patna: Rajya Sabha MP Anil Sahni, who was served a showcause notice by JD(U) on Saturday for his alleged involvement in LTC scam, pleaded innocence and said he would send his reply to the party.

"I have not received any show-cause notice. I am in Muzaffarpur and the notice might have been delivered in Delhi (residence). But I'll explain my position in my reply to the party," Sahni said.

Sahni, who is a second term Rajya Sabha member, reiterated his stand that he was innocent and had actually been implicated by those whom he had exposed in the LTC scam.

Asked if he has met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the new JD(U) President, Sahni said "not so far".

"It's a matter within the (JDU) family. Whenever I get a call from Kumar, I'll meet him and make my point and tell him the truth," Sahni said.

The JD(U) Rajya Sabha member asked the probe agency to look into his bank accounts to ascertain money flow on this count.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari had a few days back given his approval to CBI to prosecute Sahni against whom the agency had filed a chargesheet for alleged cheating and corruption in LTC Scam.

CBI had filed a chargesheet against Sahni alleging that he, in conspiracy with other persons, used forged e-tickets and fake boarding passes to defraud Rajya Sabha to the tune of Rs 23.71 lakh as travel and dearness allowance reimbursement without undertaking the actual journey.

Besides Sahni, whose term in Rajya Sabha ends in April 2018, others named in the CBI charge sheet were Anup Singh Panwar, an employee of Delhi-based Air Cruise Travels Private Limited, N S Nair, then Office Superintendent (Traffic), Air India and one Arvind Tiwari. Meanwhile, opposition BJP attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the issue.

"Despite Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari giving his permission to prosecute Anil Sahni in Rs 23.71 lakh LTC scam, why Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is still maintaining silence?" senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said in a statement.

"Nitish Kumar who talks about zero tolerance on corruption should answer as why Sahni has not been suspended from the party so far?" Modi asked.