16 September,2011 07:25 AM IST | | MiD DAY Correspondent
Bhopal railway police recovered Rs 10 lakh from the first-class compartment of the Delhi CM's son
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's son and Loksabha MP Sandeep Dikshit courted yet another controversy on Thursday. A bag containing Rs 10 lakh in cash was recovered from his possession in a first-class air-conditioned coach of Bhopal Express, in Bhopal. Dikshit took the train from Delhi on Wednesday, along with his wife Mona Dikshit.
Cash bash: Sandeep Dikshit claimed the bag belonged to a friend. File pic
Reportedly, the bag was handed over to Government Railway Police (GRP) by the coach attendant shortly after the arrival of the train. The GRP seized the bag, in which the said amount was packed in bundles of Rs 1,000 notes. Initially it was believed the bag belonged to Dikshit, but he denied it.
Dikshit claimed the bag belonged to a friend, Jayesh Mathur, who was travelling with him in another AC coach and had requested him to keep the bag with him for safety reasons. "He was in coach A1. He brought the bag and asked me to keep it safely and I obliged. While deboarding, we forgot to take the bag in a rush," Dikshit told the media.
Reports said Mathur, who was reportedly scouting for a property in Bhopal, said he did not expect the brouhaha over the incident. He accepted the money belonged to him. He said he has approached the GRP to get back the cash. RPF Commandant AK Agnihotri said since the bag did not belong to the Congress MP, it has been kept in their custody. The GRP checked the passengers list and consequently contacted Mathur. "I took that bag to the office. It had around Rs 10 lakh," attendant Bhagwan Das was quoted by the media.
In Delhi, while the Chief Minister denied any connection of her son with the bag, the BJP has demanded a probe. When asked about the incident, Sheila Dikshit said her son has already given a clarification. "Something is fishy. It is a serious case and we demand a high level-inquiry," said Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta.
Award for honesty
In the evening, a cash award of Rs 2,000 for coach attendant Bhagwan Das was announced for his honesty. Das had found the bag containing Rs 10 lakh. Railway officials in Delhi were heard saying, his name will also be proposed for the Railway Minister Award.
Reason for visit
Dikshit is known to keep a low profile. An MP from east Delhi, he was one of the main mediators between the government and Team Anna, and if sources are to be believed, he, along with the CM's political advisor Pawan Khera, brokered the deal. Recently, Dikshit was involved in a controversy over announcing a separate St. Stephen's College alumni society, following differences with principal Valson Thampu.
