Chief Secretary EK Bharat Bhushan makes light of conspiracy
Bhushan said he did made the trip with his family, but had paid for the tickets
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan has been caught in a fresh row for availing of free tickets from a private airline for his family as well as for him.
There were also allegations of Bhushan misusing chopper services for family trips.
The Tehelka magazine has come out with a report that, besides other prominent people, Bharat Bhushan and family had availed of free tickets worth about Rs 1 lakh for flying from Amritsar to Delhi in a Jet Airways flight
while he was serving as DGCA. It was even alleged that some passengers were deplaned to accommodate the then DGCA and family.
Denying the allegations, Bhushan said he did made the trip with his family, but had paid for the tickets. He said he still had the receipts.
He also suspected that such reports were part of a conspiracy against his chances to be appointed to a crucial post in the civil aviation sector.
There were reports that Bhushan was trying to clinch the post of Chairman of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority.
When asked if he would move legally against the allegation, Bharat Bhushan said he would take 'appropriate action'. "I hope Tehelka will correct the error on their part," he said.
MISUSED CHOPPER TOO
Meanwhile, there were other allegations of Bhushan going on a trip to Kedarnath with his wife in a private airline misusing his official position.
According to a document in possession of DC, Bhushan, his wife and one Lalit Gupta flew from Delhi to Fata (near Kedarnath) in a chopper (VT-HKB) of the Orbit Aviation on May 20, 2012.
Though former CAG Vinod Rai and two others were supposed to fly, they cancelled the trip at the last minute. Reacting to the allegation, Bhushan said those were all cooked up charges.