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I have not asked anyone
for a favour: S P Hinduja

Srichand Hinduja, who was called to the Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters again on Thursday morning for clarifications, said that he felt sorry for Peter Mandelson, who resigned from the cabinet of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday.

"I had made an application for a passport as a citizen of Britain and I had not asked anyone to do me any favour, whether it is Peter Mandelson or someone else. I feel sorry that he had to resign," S P Hinduja told newsmen outside the headquarters.

He stressed that the contribution by the Hinduja family was for construction of the Millennium Dome. "This payment had nothing to do with the issuance of a passport. Our Hinduja Foundation had started over a decade prior to the contributions made to the faith zone in the Millennium Dome. There is no link between the contribution made for a charitable cause and the issuance of the passport. This should be very clear. I am sad and surprised that the world should not forget that the duty of those in power is to assist people and protect the country," the senior Hinduja stated.

He, however, felt he would not be 'abandoned' by the British. "Why should I be abandoned? I have not done anything wrong by filing an application for a passport under the rules of the United Kingdom," he said.

On whether he was aware that Blair had ordered an inquiry in the passport case, he said, "Let them hold any kind of inquiry. I have done nothing wrong."

P P Hinduja was examined for the second day for more then three hours by the investigating agency.

On January 27, third brother G P Hinduja will be questioned by the CBI.

CBI spokesman S M Khan said though the two brothers have been examined at length, they would be called again if clarifications were required.

He denied that S P and P P Hinduja were questioned together. "We have not reached that stage. The two brothers were examined at different places at the CBI headquarters.''

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