Monday, April 11 2005 08:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Congress last night (Apr 10, 2005) dismissed as ridiculous George Fernandes' allegation that the conspiracy to malign him in the Tehelka expose was hatched at the residence of party President Sonia Gandhi and wondered how the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Convenor's fertile imagination failed to invent the charge earlier.

"It is a classic case of the accused charging the prosecution. The Former Defence Minister knows very well all his acts are under CBI investigation for possible criminal charges," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said.

He said Fernandes was making such a charge obviously to prevent and obstruct investigations.

Giving an account of the sting operation, Fernandes said when the Venkataswamy Commission found him to be innocent in the Tehelka expose, a new commission headed by Justice S N Phukan was set up to go into the matter "but he too has given me a clean chit in the multi-crore Defence deals".

Fernandes also claimed that even the CAG had told him that there was nothing against him.