The Hindu Business Line : Rudy pays up for stay at Taj Goa

IN an effort to silence his detractors, the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Rajiv Pratap Rudy, today paid the Taj Exotica in Goa Rs 2.44 lakh towards settlement of a bill for stay at the hotel from December 30 last year to January 2 this year.

The issue was mired in controversy with the Congress party on Sunday calling for the Minister's resignation, arrest and probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging that Mr Rudy asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to pick up the bill for the stay.

However, in a statement, the AAI said that it had not made any booking of the Minister in Goa as "it was learnt that accommodation had been directly booked by the office of the Minister of Civil Aviation at the Hotel Taj Exotica".

The statement added that the hotel raised a bill of Rs 2.16 lakh on the AAI after the Minister left Goa.

However, the Airport Director, Goa confirmed that he had received instructions from the office of the Minister "not to make any payments" against accommodation charges.

The statement further said that the Airport Director, Goa referred the bills to the Minister's office for payment on January 23 this year.

Officials connected with the office of the Minister said that a draft for Rs 2.44 lakh was dispatched as there was also a bill of about Rs 26,000 that had to be settled in addition to what was sent to the AAI.