Timblo, Lodhia made donations to BJP, Congress

Radha S. Timblo, managing director of a Goa-based mining company, and bullion trader Chamanbhai Lodhia of Gujarat, two of the three businesspersons accused of stashing black money abroad, have donated money to the BJP and Congress, according to watchdog NGOs.

While Timblo, head of Timblo Pvt Ltd, had donated Rs.1.18 crore to the BJP and Rs.65 lakh to the Congress from 2004-12, Lodhia donated Rs.51,000 to the BJP, according to the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW).

The details of the donations made by the companies, according to a press statement, have been sourced from the list of political donations listed on the Election Commission web site.

"An analysis of the donations made by individuals and corporates to the national parties between 2004-05 and 2011-12 shows that Timblo Pvt Ltd ... donated nine times to the BJP amounting to Rs.1.18 crores and thrice to the Congress, amounting to Rs.65 lakhs in seven years," the statement said.

The central government Monday filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court disclosing the names of Timblo, Lodhia and former Dabur executive Pradip Burman who allegedly stashed black money abroad and thus evaded tax.

Timblo Pvt Ltd is one of the many mining companies accused of carrying out illegal mining by the Justice M.B. Shah commission, which exposed a Rs.35,000 crore illegal mining scam in the state.

Speaking to reporters earlier Monday, Timblo said she needs to study the government's affidavit to the apex court before commenting.

"I will have to study the affidavit first," she said, when asked for her comment, and added that she will give her reaction to the Supreme Court.

In Gujarat, Lodhia claimed innocence even as he complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the drive against black money.

"I am nothing compared to big people who could be (having) black money. I can say that I have no Swiss bank account. I believe that accounts of big politicians should be taken to task," he told the media in Rajkot.

"Though my name has come into this, I want to say that Narendra Modi has taken (the) best step. I will totally cooperate with the government and share all the details. I am innocent," he said.

According to the ADR-NEW statement, there are a total of 13 electoral Trusts, only seven of which have been approved by the Central Bureau of Direct Taxes (CBDT) because they were formed after the CBDT rules governing electoral trusts were notified Jan 31, 2013.

The seven trusts formed after the CBDT rules came into effect are required to submit details of their donations to the Election Commission.

The remaining six formed before the CBDT rules came into existence are not required to do so. These six trusts have donated more than Rs.105 crore to national parties between 2004-05 and 2011-12. Details of these donations are not known.