Finally, he had to deny what was correct

When Number One found that a large regiment was getting ready to accompany a certain purohita due to leave for an international conference held overseas, he pruned the number by a one-third. 

The pruning of the ministerial entourage received much media publicity. However, by this time the purohita and his better half had already left the country. 

When this news reached the purohita now abroad, it was his better half who went into a flutter. 
She immediately contacted the purohita at the state level and asked him to lose no time in issuing a media communique ‘correcting’ the news reports.

The state level purohita asked his aides to issue a clarification to media signed by his secretary.
When the secretary saw the clarification put up for his signature, he had declined to sign it saying that the media was correct and it was he himself who got the pruning order from Number One.

Nevertheless, the media release was issued, but it was Ministry’s media officer who had signed it, they say.