New Delhi: Former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley, named in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR in connection with alleged payoffs in defence said she was ‘amused’ at the reports and indicated she may not seek 'legal recourse'.
Jaitley who returned to India from Germany a day after she was named in the FIR, said obviously somebody was working overtime to damage her and former Defence Minister George Fernandes' reputation.
“I would rather prefer to sit in jail than plead to let me out. If these people think that they have troubled me, they have not troubled me a wee bit,” she said.
She said the CBI had dragged her name to make the case 'interesting', like the TV serials in which female characters are dragged to make the story thrilling.
"The attempt is to malign and satisfy themselves because the Congressmen, smarting under Bofors, could not digest the fact that there were people who did not accept dynastic rule."
“Truth does not go away. The Scorpene deal, Oil-For-Food scandal, letting off the money locked in the London bank account of Italian fugitive Ottavio Quattrocchi, the prime beneficiary of Bofors kickback deal are all proof of it,” the Samata Party leader said alleging the ruling-Congress engineered the case against her.
She further said dragging the name of a former navy chief in the controversy would badly affect the morale of the Armed Forces.
Asked if she would argue herself in the court, she said frankly she had not thought about the legal aspects.
"Why should I argue, if they have anything against me let them jail me. Why should I save myself and defend from what?" she asked.
She said there was a legal system in the country and the prosecution would have to prove the movement of money and they could not nail anybody on the basis of claims and statements of some people.
Jaitley said, “In the last FIR, they had alleged that I received Rs 2,00,000 and this time they say I received two crores. Are they planning to upgrade their allegation to 'business class from the economy class'.”
Asked about the reluctance of the political parties to come out openly in support of the former Defence Minister, Jaitley said, “I am not in the party. I don't expect them to speak up for me. I am not in politics. I am capable of fighting my own battle.”
About the Left's objection to Fernandes dragging President A P J Abdul Kalam's name, Jailtely said the allegation that Fernandes 'overruled' the decision of Dr Kalam was 'spun' from Tehelka days.
“Everyone has a history and one cannot wish away his role. Don't we all acknowledge his role in Pokhran II? Facts are important,” she remarked.
Comments
0 comment