New Delhi, March 11 With reference to certain wild allegations levelled by a section of the foreign media dragging the name of the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari and his family, it has already been stated by the Ministers office that these accusations are malicious, fabricated and baseless.
Since the entire episode of the Scania bus was an internal affair of the Swedish company, the statement of the Scania spokesperson has made it clear that Gadkari and his family members have absolutely nothing to do with the purchase or sale of any Scania bus.
"Nor do they have anything to do with any firm or individual who might be linked with the purchase or sale of the bus," Gadkari's office said.
"In the light of the Scania spokesperson's clarification absolving Gadkari and his family, we request the media, especially the foreign media, to desist from making unsubstantiated allegations against Gadkari and his family," the statement said.
"If the media fails to refrain from indulging in witch-hunt of Gadkari and his family, the Union Minister and his family may be constrained to take recourse to all necessary legal measures to protect their reputation and integrity," the statement added.
As per a statement by Gadkari's office, the Swedish bus manufacturers Scania has denied sending any bus to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for personal use.
The company (Scania) spokesperson has also denied engaging "in any business deal with any (one) connected with Gadkari's sons", according to The Indian Express, the statement said.
In an email response to queries from The Indian Express, Scania said: "The company denied sending any bus to Gadkari for personal use."
"The company (Scania) spokesperson also denied engaging in any business deal with any connected with Gadkari's sons."
"The spokesperson said the company did sell the Scania Metrolink bus to one of its Bengaluru-based dealers called Transpro Motors, which in turn sold it to a company named Sudarshan Hospitality, which it said, was 'an Indian bus operator'. Sudarshan Hospitality is based out of Nagpur."
The spokesperson further said: "No, this particular bus was purchased from Scania India in 2016 by one of the company's private dealers who delivered it to one of its customers (an Indian bus operator). I have no information about the current status of the bus," said Hans-Ake Danielsson, a company spokesperson based in Sweden.
About the deal with NMC, (Nagpur Municipal Corporation), the company said 55 buses used for trial were returned to it. "These public transport buses were delivered to NMC and were returned to Scania India after the trial was finished. All of the in total 55 ethanol buses ordered by NMC have been returned to Scania India."
The company spokesperson did not disclose the price of the bus. "The bus was tour bus (Scania Metrolink). We do not inform about the price our retailer organisation (i.e. the dealers) is charged for the products they sell on the market," she said. It also denied engaging in any business deal with any connected with Gadkari's sons.
( With inputs from IANS )
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