Ready for jail if graft charges in bus aggregator scheme proved, says Rai

NEW DELHI: Transport minister Gopal Rai challenged the Centre to prove the alleged corruption in its app-based premium bus aggregator scheme and said he would stay

NEW DELHI: Transport minister Gopal Rai challenged the Centre to prove the alleged corruption in its app-based premium bus aggregator scheme and said he would stay in jail for the rest of his life if the charges were proven.

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The AAP government had notified the scheme but Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Najeeb Jung had stayed it. The Anti-Corruption Branch(ACB) is probing the matter.

ACB had summoned the transport commissioner and Rai said he will also go to the ACB office on Tuesday. “No corruption took place in this scheme. The decision to notify the scheme was taken after several rounds of meetings and agenda was tabled before the Cabinet after proper discussion,” said Rai.

The Delhi government during the second phase of the odd-even scheme in April announced the premium bus service would be made operational from mid-June.

“They cannot prove corruption of single paisa. Central government is trying to paralyse premium bus service scheme. ACB is unnecessarily troubling our officers,” Rai added.

BJP legislator Vijender Gupta, in his complaint to ACB chief Mukesh Meena, said the L-G had not lent his approval to the scheme as claimed in the Delhi government notification.