MARGAO: Former tourism minister, Mr Francisco Pacheco alias Mickky on Sunday said that he was clean when confronted by media over the latest news reports that he was under the scanner of US law enforcement officials for financial irregularities.

Mr Pacheco also welcomed an investigation into his financial dealings saying that there were millions of dollars going through his accounts and "you can always check my accounts." He also accused political leaders and parties of going after him. It may be recalled that he had accused the present Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik of conducting a witch hunt against him after he had highlighted the burgeoning drug trade in the state.

When specifically asked about reports that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the US State Department had told the Union government that the former minister was involved in a global immigration and money laundering racket, he protested that "he had done no wrong."

According to the reports, top level sources said the Bureau of Diplomatic Security first got in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs through the US mission in the national capital and has since backed the allegations with documents and details of banking transactions with the evidence being described as "substantive and watertight."

The flamboyant South Goa politician has always been in the limelight and his latest troubles for which he lost his ministry was after he was accused in the alleged murder of his ‘close’ friend Nadia Torrado. He was arrested in connection with the murder and is out on bail at present. He has also been accused of bigamy by his lawful wife and is currently living with his live-in partner.

Mr Pacheco remains defiant and has accused sections of the press of creating speculation over his "alleged financial irregularities in the USA insinuating immigration and money laundering racket" arguing that these allegations are "false, baseless and made with mal intent by those afraid of growing support and sympathy after I was falsely implicated in a case of abetment to suicide."

He said that he was involved in lawful business in the US much before he entered politics and all his monetary transactions there were above board and well documented and "no violation of criminal or economic law is involved." He also denied that he was involved in any immigration racket as alleged and that he had "nothing to hide as my financial records are clean and the same shall be made available to the investigating authorities when need be."