Congress demands impartial investigation into escape of 23 fugitives, holds PM accountable

Congress on Saturday sought to fix accountability of Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Jaitley in the Rs 90,000 crore "loot of public money" and the escape of 23 fugitives, including Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. It also demanded an "impartial investigation" into it.

"BJP is more loyal to 'con-man' than to a common man. PM Modi only promoted 'ease of looting and fleeing India" rather than promoting ease of doing business in India," said Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill.

The party also released a list of 23 fugitives who fled under this government and are settled abroad.

"The law-breaking and government organised escape episodes of Mallya, Nirav Modi and Chowksi prove beyond doubt that Modi Sarkar is not a guardian or protector of public money but a travel agency facilitating fraud and happy safe flying of willful bank loan defaulters," said Shergill.

"BJP provides the "chor darwaza" (escape door) to all wilful defaulters looking to run away with public money," he added.

The party stated total banking fraud cases from year 2014-2018 are 23,000. "Total amount involved in banking scams: Rs. 90,000 crore. In 2014-15 (Rs. 19,455 crore), 2015-16 (Rs. 18,698 crore), 2016-17 (Rs. 23,933 crore), 2017-18 (Rs. 25,459 crore)," the party stated.

The leader said: "It is high time political and legal accountability is fixed on the Modi government as to how and under whose instructions the law enforcement agencies decided to conveniently look away while the 23 fugitives left India," he added.

--IANS

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