Dharamshala(Arvind Sharma)
Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Chairman and Cabinet Minister-rank leader R.S. Bali on Monday clarified the controversy surrounding the purchase of Sarovar Portico Hotel in Palampur. Addressing a press conference in Dharamsala , Bali asserted that the deal was carried out through a completely transparent process with no irregularities involved.
He said the hotel was purchased for ₹24 crore — ₹18 crore through a loan from the Central Bank of India and ₹6 crore from a personal account, all payments made via cheque and demand draft. Rejecting opposition charges, Bali accused rivals of spreading baseless propaganda to tarnish his and his family’s image.
Bali also pointed out that the hotel’s previous owners had already repaid ₹33.63 crore against bank loans, while the principal amount was ₹23.55 crore. He reminded that the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme was introduced under RBI guidelines during the BJP government and benefited thousands.
Stating that political allegations are common but personal attacks on family are unacceptable, Bali said those defaming him must apologize publicly or face defamation suits. “I have always worked with transparency. Now the judiciary will decide what is true and what is false,” he said.
