Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday dismissed reports about his links with multi-crore stamp paper scam accused Abdul Karim Telgi saying the utternaces of a criminal could not be trusted.
"Why should I discuss a statement made by a criminal. Why should I give him importance," he told reporters in Dehradun when asked about Telgi's claims that he knew Pawar.
"The electronic media has to run 24 hour news channels. They are after some sensational story," he said adding, "this showed the increasing interest of the media in stories of a criminal."
Asked about his photograph with Telgi, Pawar said he had been in public life for many years and met several people.
Pawar said the photograph in question shows him and Telgi's brother on the dias. "I cannot check the credentials of every person who attends a function," he added.
A narco-analysis test conducted in 2003 on Telgi, aired by television channels earlier this month had sought to link Pawar and Maharastra Public Works Department Minister Chhagan Bhujbal to the case.
