Sonia Gandhi consults AK Antony on PK Bansal issue

NEW DELHI: Amid mounting demand for removal of Railway Minister PK Bansal from the Union Cabinet, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today held consultations with Defence Minister A K Antony on the issue.

Antony drove to 10, Jan Path ahead of the Congress Core Group meeting.

Bansal is in the eye of a storm in the wake of the arrest of his nephew by CBI on the charge of accepting bribe to fix plum position in the Railway Board and demands for his removal and prosecution are mounting.

The Congress Core Group headed by Gandhi had yesterday inconclusively met at the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had called the minister earlier in the day.

Bansal is said to have explained his position claiming he had neither business link with his nephew nor did he get influenced by him in decision-making.

He has distanced himself from his nephew Vijay Singla, who was arrested by CBI two days back for allegedly accepting Rs 90 lakh for fixing a better position for Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar.