PMO defends Padma for Sant Chatwal
Govt says all cases against hotelier closed, he lobbied hard for N-deal.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: With Congress distancing itself from from the government’s decision to confer Padma Bhushan on US based-hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, who was earlier chargesheeted by the CBI in a case involving $9 million fraud, the PMO on Wednesday clarified that the premier investigating agency had closed all three cases against him.
“The Padma awards are decided by the home ministry after a due process. They might have their reasons for it. Only the ministry can explain it....We are not talking of any specific case. But these awards should be given to people who enhance its prestige and not to those who have a taint,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmad had said on Tuesday. The spokesman had also said that awards should be given to people whose integrity is not doubtful.
In its clarification, the PMO said “due diligence” was done before selection and that the CBI had closed three cases of financial irregularities against him.
The CBI had investigated the case against Mr Chatwal after a complaint was filed by the SBI chief vigilance officer that some of its officials had allegedly conspired with the businessman in 1994 to extend loans without any collaterals. The agency filed the chargesheet against Mr Chatwal, who was arrested in Mumbai but got bail and left the country. He was acquitted in one of the four cases in 2008 but since the director of prosecution of the CBI opposed an appeal in the matter, the case was closed.
In its defence of Mr Chatwal, the government described him as a “tireless advocate” of India’s interests in the US. “He has been working relentlessly for strengthening bilateral relationships between the two countries.” The release from the government said the hotelier was an active member of NRI committee in the US who helped in securing support for the nuclear deal among the members of US Congress.
Referring to the allegations of financial irregularities against him, the government clarified that between 1992 and 1994, the CBI had registered five cases against him. “Three of these cases were closed by CBI itself while chargesheets were filed CBI in two cases before the court of special judge, CBI, Mumbai. In these two cases, the court discharged Chatwal,” it said, adding as per available reports, there is nothing adverse on record against him.
“The Padma awards are decided by the home ministry after a due process. They might have their reasons for it. Only the ministry can explain it....We are not talking of any specific case. But these awards should be given to people who enhance its prestige and not to those who have a taint,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmad had said on Tuesday. The spokesman had also said that awards should be given to people whose integrity is not doubtful.
In its clarification, the PMO said “due diligence” was done before selection and that the CBI had closed three cases of financial irregularities against him.
The CBI had investigated the case against Mr Chatwal after a complaint was filed by the SBI chief vigilance officer that some of its officials had allegedly conspired with the businessman in 1994 to extend loans without any collaterals. The agency filed the chargesheet against Mr Chatwal, who was arrested in Mumbai but got bail and left the country. He was acquitted in one of the four cases in 2008 but since the director of prosecution of the CBI opposed an appeal in the matter, the case was closed.
In its defence of Mr Chatwal, the government described him as a “tireless advocate” of India’s interests in the US. “He has been working relentlessly for strengthening bilateral relationships between the two countries.” The release from the government said the hotelier was an active member of NRI committee in the US who helped in securing support for the nuclear deal among the members of US Congress.
Referring to the allegations of financial irregularities against him, the government clarified that between 1992 and 1994, the CBI had registered five cases against him. “Three of these cases were closed by CBI itself while chargesheets were filed CBI in two cases before the court of special judge, CBI, Mumbai. In these two cases, the court discharged Chatwal,” it said, adding as per available reports, there is nothing adverse on record against him.
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