Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday said his nephew Ratal Puri being called by Enforcement Directorate to join the AgustaWestland investigation has nothing to do with his business.
However, CM Kamal Nath also raised questions over the timing of the probe and said, “He is independent, he has nothing to do with politics and I have nothing to do with his business. Whatever there is, it must be investigated but how these issues come up during elections only?” Earlier in the day, businessman Ratul Puri appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal case.
ED had told a Delhi court on Wednesday that it has called Puri to join the investigation in the money laundering case. “I am cooperating with the investigation and will continue to cooperate. I have no connection with defence (deals) and no business dealings with my relatives, I run an independent business. I will cooperate fully with ED and any other government authority that seeks any information from me or asks me for any clarifications. I have no connection with AgustaWestland or defence,” Puri told reporters after reaching the ED office here.
Puri is the chairman of the board of directors of Hindustan Power projects. His name reportedly cropped up during ED’s questioning of AgustaWestland case middleman Rajeev Saxena who has turned an approver in the case. Saxena was earlier deported from Dubai and arrested by ED. In December last year, businessman Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the deal, was extradited to India from Dubai. He is at present lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail.
