New Delhi: Union Minister of State Tourism and Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed on Wednesday moved out of Delhi's five-star luxury hotel Ashoka Hotel.
Ahmed moved out of the hotel less than 12 hours after CNN-IBN's sister channel IBN7 showed documentary proof of the Minister having cost the tax payer more than Rs 37 lakh for his stay in the five-star hotel.
"I have been misguided by the officials in my ministry. I was made to believe that being a Minister for Tourism the bills have to be footed by ITDC. I regret this has happened but it's not my fault. I am ready to foot the bill," said Ahmed.
After the expose, Trinamool Congress President and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked Ahmed to pay out for his nearly six-month long stay at the Ashoka Hotel.
Ahmed, who had been staying at the Ashoka Hotel from June 1, 2009, had spent the last six months at the Ashoka Hotel and everything - including his meals - had been at taxpayers' expense.
The MP from Uluberia in West Bengal had been staying in Room No. 1434 of the Hotel, flouting norms set by his own Government which has been trying to cut costs as part of an austerity drive.
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