Totla denies connection with Telgi

Totla today sent a release to newspaper offices, stating that certain political leaders were making false allegations. He insisted that he had never met Telgi and never dealt on his behalf with any politician. ‘‘I have never bribed any minister,’’ Totla claimed, adding that he was in Iran and Dubai from November 8 to 15 on a business tour.

Earlier, Sameer had feigned ignorance about Totla. ‘‘Am I a fool to enter into a partnership with somebody like him?’’ he had said. ‘‘I don’t know him. I might have met him at some functions, one comes across a lot of people that way,’’ he added. Bhujbal said he knew Totla as an activist of his party. However, he too disowned Totla.

Meanwhile, Gadkari dropped another bombshell today by asking SIT to probe if Telgi had put his money in Totla’s business. ‘‘The Petroleum Department had in July 2002 raided and sealed Totla’s Vivek Petrochem in Pondichery. Same time, Karnataka police seized a tanker of the company which was carrying naphtha, apparently for adulteration,’’ alleged Gadkari.