New Delhi, Feb 3: A Canadian journalist, who reported on bribery charges levelled against Union Minister Praful Patel, today tweeted that there was no evidence to show that he took bribe.
In a series of tweets through the day, ‘The Globe and Mail' scribe, Stephanie Nolen, made it clear that she had written only on allegations made against Patel by an Indian-born Canadian citizen, Nazir Karigar who is being prosecuted in Canada on charges of paying off Patel in a case in which a former Mumbai police chief also figures.
“Praful Patel isn't accused of taking the bribe. Canadian accused of saying he was going to pay it. Critical difference,” she said in one tweet.
In another posting on the microblogging site, she said “I object to ppl (people) misquoting our story: regardless of what you think of Patel, evidence does not show he took bribe”.
“No, a Canadian is accused of SAYING he bribed Praful Patel. Critical difference. Pls read our story”, read the third.
The Canadian newspaper report had said that Karigar had claimed he had paid bribe to Patel in 2007 in an unsuccessful attempt to win a USD 100 million Air India contract for a computerised passenger face recognition biometrics system.
The airline had ultimately abandoned the plans for such a system. Patel, who has rubbished the charges, today got support from Congress and his party NCP which maintained that it was wrong to indict anybody until some material is found.
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh also ruled out any investigation into the allegations.
