World | India
Allegations of links with Satyam group baseless - Reddy
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday denied allegations of his links with Satyam Computer Services founder Ramalinga Raju, and said he felt sad the day the company's disgraced former chief admitted committing a massive fraud.
- IANS
- Published: 23:41 January 11, 2009
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday denied allegations of his links with Satyam Computer Services founder Ramalinga Raju, and said he felt sad the day the company's disgraced former chief admitted committing a massive fraud.
"These are senseless and baseless allegations. You cannot expect me to react to them," Reddy told a news conference here when asked about the opposition parties' allegations that he too was involved in the scam.
"The current opposition leaders are the kind that they will blame me even if their wives do not have breakfast after a quarrel with them the previous night," he quipped.
Promotion
The chief minister reiterated that it was his predecessor N. Chandrababu Naidu who promoted Raju during his tenure.
"When the then US President Bill Clinton came here nine years back, Naidu made Ratan Tata sit in the audience and made Raju sit beside Clinton," he recalled.
"Though there were allegations that Naidu held major shares in Satyam, I did not say anything against him as an opposition leader."
When asked what he felt personally after hearing about the scandal, he said he felt bad.
"I felt very very bad personally also. It was just unimaginable. Figures are mind-boggling.
"I was really sad the day when I came to know about it," he said. He denied that he had any suspicion about Raju.
"No, in fact, they brought projects, especially 108 ambulance service. He pioneered Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI). We were very enthused about it. They did it as a voluntary job."
The chief minister recalled that the government wanted to extend 108 service to the entire state, and came forward to bear 95 per cent of the cost. Satyam undertook five per cent contribution to EMRI.
"After the fraud came out, there were doubts about 108 ... I told EMRI management that we will continue the work. If you cannot raise the five per cent contribution, the government will provide it," he said.
Review: Project contracts
The Andhra Pradesh government yesterday denied there were any irregularities in awarding contracts for various infrastructure projects to Maytas Infra, the company promoted by the family of disgraced former chairman of Satyam Computers.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, however, announced that the government would review all the projects given to Maytas in the wake of massive fraud in Satyam.
"Interests of the works have to be protected," he said.
- IANS
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