Sitharaman questions Rahul's presence at Gitanjali Jewels event

Countering the Congress' charge that the multi-crore bank fraud took place under the BJP government, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that Rahul Gandhi was present at a promotional event of Gitanjali Jewels and that the fraud took place during the UPA regime.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) underlined that Congress President Rahul Gandhi participated in the promotional event of Gitanjali Jewels in September 2013.

Sitharaman said "The Congress is wrongly blaming us", as it was they who let out a building to Nirav Modi's Firestar Diamond International, acquired from Advait Holdings, which had Anita Singhvi -- wife of Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi -- as one of the directors.

She said the company is operating from the building located in Mumbai from the last seven years.

She alleged that all the inheritance, legacy and properties in this case belonged to the Congress party.

The Minister alleged that while the Congress party was the "beneficiary and promoter" of the Gitanjali Group company, it was blaming the BJP for their own misdeeds.

"It was during the UPA rule that the main offence" was committed, the Minister said.

In June 2013, Life Insurance Company (LIC), a public sector company, took four per cent shares in Gitanjali which was questioned by the Ministry of Finance.

Gitanjali was suspended for six months from doing business on the National Stock Exchange in July 2013, she added.

In September 2013, a proposal of restructuring and giving additional loan was made to Allahabad Bank.

When one of the officers questioned it then he was forced to resign, the Minister said.

Later the bank sanctioned the loan.

"Congress does all this. Now when we take action then they blame us," Sitharaman said.

"We have taken action. We have sent them notices in confiscated properties and the process is still on but the allegation is on us."

--IANS

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