BJP supporting corruption, defrauders: AAP

A day after a massive $1.8 billion fraud by billionaire diamond trader Nirav Modi was unearthed by Punjab National Bank in its Mumbai branch, the AAP on Thursday attacked the BJP-led central government saying it ignored complaints against the top jeweller.

The AAP also alleged that the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) was "benefiting big businessmen and defrauders like Lalit Modi, Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi and its leaders were involved in the scams done by these people".

Party leader Sanjay Singh told a media conference that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was supporting corruption.

"It is a very serious issue, the Centre should have an answer on this," he said.

Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate launched a nationwide raid on the offices, showrooms and workshops of Nirav Modi.

AAP leader Raghav Chadha said whistle-blower named Hari Prasad had written to the Prime Minister's Office on July 26, 2016, on "banking fraud" by Nirav Modi but "no action was taken".

He also noted that Nirav Modi was part of a delegation travelling with Prime Minister Modi to Davos in January despite the complaint against him and a letter received by the Central Bureau of Investigation from the PNB seeking to alert the government that there was a huge scam and Nirav Modi might flee.

"Is the bank employee the only accused? Their (BJP's) leaders are involved in it? Modi junior (Nirav Modi) and Modi senior (Narendra Modi) certainly have a connection," he alleged.

Citing the cases of Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, Chadha said: "In a country with experienced agencies, why have we not been able to track down such criminals."

He then criticised the FRDI bill, saying it would affect the account holders of banks that have been cheated by "defrauders like Nirav and Mallya".

--IANS

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