New Delhi:
President Pratibha Patil has okayed a government request that asks for a Supreme Court judge to look into corruption charges against Prasar Bharati CEO BS Lalli.
The President has said it is upto the government to decide if Lalli should be suspended while the inquiry is conducted.
Here is the statement that Lalli issued in this regard:
I am given to understand that a reference has been made to the honourable Supreme Court in terms of section 7 of the Prasar Bharati act. This is in context of the CVC report on some alleged administrative and financial irregularities in the working of Prasar Bharati.
While on the one hand I am sad that I have to face this after nearly 40 years of unblemished service in the IAS, on the other I derive comfort from the fact that I would finally be heard and that at long last due focus would be given to facts rather than conjectures, half truths and plain lies.
I would only state that a lot of intrigue and mischief have been going on within the organization which has unfortunately been abetted and encouraged by powerful elements from outside aimed at not only the demonising of an individual but also the derailment of a premier democratic institution.
Available record clearly and unequivocally shed light on the transparency, good faith and sound commercial judgement in respect of all these matters. Judicial scrutiny I am sure will also show that fallacious interpretations of relevant provisions of law and rules was made to arrive at certain conclusions and that presumption and prejudice held the field while the facts on record were not even acknowledged.
I hope that the enquiry by the Honourable Supreme Court gets finalised quickly so that the true picture is known to the public at large.
(BS Lalli Press release)