Lucknow: Congress-backed independent candidate from Lucknow Ram Jethmalani today denied (Apr 30, 2004) that while he was the Union Urban Development Minister, he had written a letter to Finance Minister Yashwant Singh pleading the case of re-transfer of a main accused in the Telgi scam Ganga Prasad, the then Deputy General Manager in the Nasik printing press.

Addressing a press conference here, Jethmalani said he had simply requested Sinha to examine the matter in the light of "your policy and regulations" after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Anil Ghote had sought his help.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

Jethmalani also released the photocopies of the letter he had written to Sinha in this regard.

Jethmalani had on April 28 last alleged that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had asked the then Minister of State for Finance Vikhe Patil to re-transfer Prasad from Hyderabad to Nasik.

Reacting to Jethmalani's allegation Union Law and Justice Minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday (Apr 29, 2004) alleged that the lawyer, in his capacity as the then Union Urban Development Minister, had written a letter about it.

Jethmalani today also released to the media the acknowledgement of his said letter and claimed that his letter did not pertain to Prasad's transfer but was about his promotion.