The money was used by the Gandhi family to pay for medical treatment for Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New York, the Yes Bank co-founder told ED
The money was used by the Gandhi family to pay for medical treatment for Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New York, the Yes Bank co-founder told ED
Congress on Sunday described as a “political vendetta” the allegation by Rana Kapoor, co-founder of Yes Bank, who has told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that he was “forced” to give a painting by MF Husain to party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to buy, and questioned his and the credibility of the ED.
Mr. Kapoor has told the ED that he was “forced” to buy M.F. Husain’s painting from Ms. Priyanka Gandhi and the proceeds from the sale were used by the Gandhi family to pay for medical treatment for Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New York, according to the indictment filed by the Federal Anti-Money Laundering Agency in a special court in Mumbai.
He told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that he was told by then-Petroleum Minister Murli Deora that refusing to buy the painting would not only prevent him from developing a relationship with the Gandhi family, but would also prevent him from to get the Padma Bhushan. forgive.
Mr. Kapoor also told the agency that Ahmed Patel, a close associate of Sonia Gandhi, told him that by supporting the Gandhi family at an opportune time for Sonia Gandhi’s medical treatment, I (Kapoor) was doing a good deed for the family have family and it would be duly considered for the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award”.
Asked about the allegations at a press conference, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: “This is absolutely amazing. I don’t want to use a strong word it’s absolutely disgusting that a 2010 transaction is a person behind bars for years whose 20-30 bail applications have been denied who is being called a crook and a scammer making accusations about dead people and the Government jumps for joy just because it fits their political line.” The government wants to keep the pot boiling until 2022, for a transaction in 2010, when neither Murli Deora is here to deny it, nor Ahmed Patel to deny it, Mr Singhvi said.
“What is the aim of this, is it the result of your (government) pressure tactics and coercion on a person behind bars keen to gain their freedom to record statements against political opponents and a 12 year thing just for them to keep cooking? Convenience of politics,” said the Rajya Sabha MP, lashing out at the government.
However, Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, claimed that it was fairly clear from Rana Kapoor’s confession to the ED that the Gandhis and Congress were not only “blackmailers” but also the country’s highest civilian honor to the highest bidder or sold Durbaris who did this their bidding”.
Responding to the allegations, Mr Singhvi cited that Yes Bank’s loan book stood at ₹55,000 crore in March 2014 and had risen almost five times to ₹2.41 crore in March 2019.
“Yes Bank’s loan book also showed a very dramatic increase between two other dates very unfavorable for the Modi government that neither the government nor the PM are talking about anymore. In March 2016 it was 98,000 crore and in March 2018 it was 2.03 lakh crore, about more than double. Remember when the demonization happened in November 2016,” he said.
Mr Singhvi also pointed out that the BJP-led Haryana government had invested 2,500 crore of government money in accounts at a “sinking” Yes Bank.
“They’re trying to create an anxiety psychosis to make people afraid of political revenge, they should know better. At least spare the dead. At least don’t smear people like Deora and Ahmed Patel,” he said.
“We all know the credibility of the ED and even more the credibility of the person accused in this case who is said to have made this statement,” he added.
Rana Kapoor’s testimonies form part of the second additional indictment (third overall) recently filed in the Special Court against Yes Bank co-founder, his family, promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan of Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) and others in a case from money laundering.
Mr Kapoor stated that he had paid a check for 2 crore and claimed that “Milind Deora (son of the late Murli Deora and former Congressman) later informed him in confidence that the proceeds of the sale would be used by the Gandhi family for medical care was treatment of Sonia Gandhi in New York”.
Mr Kapoor is currently in custody following his arrest in the case in March 2020. The Wadhwans are also being held in another case following their arrest.
