A crucial meeting of the Congress Core Group on Saturday evening reportedly discussed the issue concerning the Government's move to get the bank accounts of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in London defrozen and the role of Law Minister HR Bharadwaj and Minister of State for Personnel Suresh Pachori in the issue.
The meeting took place at the official residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Besides the PM, it was attended by some of his senior colleagues and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
The controversy arose over Quattrocchi having been given a clean chit by Bharadwaj on the plea that there was no evidence on record against the former in the Bofors pay-off case warranting the two accounts of Quattrocchi being kept frozen. He also argued, the bank accounts of an individual could not be kept frozen beyond a certain period.
Pachori's role in the controversy, according to sources, is being seen by the PMO as an action taken without taking the Prime Minister into confidence. His action allegedly facilitated the despatch of Additional Solicitor General V Dutt to London to plead with the Crown Prosecution Service to defreeze the two bank accounts of Quattrochhi, as there was no evidence against him in Bofors case.
While the Prime Minister's Office has denied any knowledge of the Additional Solicitor General having been sent to London, the Congress has steered itself off the controversy, saying it had no role in the controversy.
{{/usCountry}}While the Prime Minister's Office has denied any knowledge of the Additional Solicitor General having been sent to London, the Congress has steered itself off the controversy, saying it had no role in the controversy.
{{/usCountry}}According to sources, the Congress Core Group meeting may also consider the desirability of seeking the resignation of the two ministers in the wake of the persistent demand by the Opposition for their resignations.
The imminent expansion of the Union Cabinet is also expected to be discussed at the meeting.
Details of the meeting are yet to be divulged.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Ahmed Patel, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Human Resources Minister, Arjun Singh and MP Prithviraj Chouhan.