Congress Core group meeting ends at PM's residence

Crucial Congress Core group meeting ended at Prime Minister's residence, meeting discussed several key issues including Railway Board Bribery Case, Coal Block issue and Chinese incursion into Laddakh.

Crucial Congress Core group meeting has just concluded at the residence of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the Railway Board Bribery issue.

The meeting was presided over by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Apart from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the meeting was also attented by Senior Ministers and party office bearers including defence minister AK Antony, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shidne, Congress General Secretary Ahmed Patel.

The core group meeting was also attended by National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon, who briefed the meeting about the emerging situation due to Chinese incursion in Laddakh region

The CBI today arrested one more person in connection with the bribery case allegedly involving the nephew of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Samir Sandhir was arrested by the agency today.

He is an associate of Rahul Yadav, one of the middlemen who was arrested yesterday.

With this the number of persons arrested in the case has risen to eight including Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla, Railway Board Member Staff Mahesh Kumar, middlemen Sandip Goyal and Manjunath.

The Railways have suspended Mahesh Kumar, who had allegedly paid a bribe of 90 lakh rupees to Vijay Singla.

Earlier, the Railway minister met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday and conveyed his position.

Pawan Kumar Bansal said, he had no business links with his nephew and denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement Bansal claimed that he has always observed highest standards of probity in public life and that nobody can influence his decisions.

He also sought an expeditious CBI inquiry into the issue.