Buta tries to ‘clarify’ , but no respite from Sweety trouble

NEW DELHI: Even as Congress washed its hands of National Commission of Scheduled Castes chairman Buta Singh, he has claimed that he had briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the CBI investigation against his son in a bribery case involving the Commission.

Mr Singh also told the media that Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan was supporting him, a claim that was refuted by the Congress leader within hours.

Mr Singh, who had refused to step down as chairman of the constitutional body after the arrest of his son on Friday, reiterated his resolve and added that he would co-operate with CBI if ���proper procedures��� were followed . However, he continued to question CBI���s motives in probing the incident, claiming that the agency was ���framing��� him.

Mr Buta Singh���s son, Sarobjit Singh, alias, Sweety, was arrested by the CBI on Friday for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs one crore from Nashikbased contractor Ramrao Patil to close a case pending before NCSC under the SC/ST Act. The matter is also being probed by the Enforcement Directorate to uncover a hawala racket in the case. To make matters worse for Mr Buta Singh, CBI also found three pistols from his son���s house in the capital.

���I have briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding the facts. He has responded positively and sought more details,��� Mr Singh said without divulging on how the matter was communicated to the PM. ���I am also seeking an appointment to meet him and explain my position,��� he said.

Mr Singh, who had spoken of meeting the PM after the news of his son���s arrest came out, is unlikely to get any backing from the Congress-led Centre. The former Congressman, who spoke of his long association with the party in the wake of his son���s arrest , was kept at a distance by Congress . The party���s media cell head, Janardan Dwivedi, had said that Mr Singh was no longer a Congressman as he had been expelled in the run up to the 2009 Lok Sabha polls for contesting as a rebel candidate from Jalore, Rajasthan.

The Congress had left it to the government to decide on whether he could be allowed to continue as NCSC chairman. Meanwhile, reports have suggested that Mr Singh himself could be questioned by CBI. Mr Singh continued making overtures to Congress on Sunday. He expressed regret for fighting against Congress and declared himself a Congressman who still abided by ���the Congress ideology��� .

Not surprisingly, Mr Singh also spoke about CBI���s bid to ���target��� him. ���CBI is not working as an investigating agency and is targeting me at the behest of some people. CBI is framing me. Arresting my son in a false case is aimed at targeting me politically. CBI used my son to target me,��� he alleged, claiming, that he was being victimised.

Asked whether he is ready to face questioning by CBI, he said, ���I am ready to answer all charges. I will fully cooperate if proper procedures are followed .��� On being asked whether he would approach Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the leader said he was fully competent to defend himself. ���Why should I trouble others,��� he asked.