International arms dealer C Edmonds Allen has written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) claiming that Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) member Varun Gandhi has been compromised and blackmailed by another dealer Abhishek Verma.
Varun Gandhi, once a member of the defence consultative committee, was blackmailed into sharing classified information by Verma, who then helped international companies land government deals from India, Allen reportedly claims in the letter.
Reacting to the allegations, Gandhi told The Indian Express that these were “nonsensical” and “insane” claims.
“Anyone who knows about the defence committee knows that there is no secret or confidential information that is ever shared with the committee. I have heard wild and nonsensical allegations but there is not a shred or iota of proof or evidence to substantiate any of these insane claims. It is very easy to attempt to blacken someone’s good name. I have taken this very seriously. I find it seriously defamatory and will be taking legal action,” Gandhi told The Indian Express.
Allen-Verma Fallout
Verma has Varun Gandhi’s pictures with female escorts and prostitutes from other countries which he used as leverage, reports claim. Allen has provided a CD with the said pictures, reports claim.
Allen, a lawyer by profession, worked with Verma before they fell out in 2012. In 2012, Allen had shared several documents that landed Verma in trouble under various counts including one under Official Secrets Act (OSA).
Allen’s earlier complaints had led to Verma being under the government’s scanner for defence deals by the Indian government and put in jail.
Verma Hits Back at Allen
Later on Thursday, Abhishek Verma rejected the allegations saying the emails and photographs being circulated are "fabricated" and questioned Allen’s motive.
Allen is a known forger and he had in the past also morphed some photos of another individual and I had filed a case of criminal defamation against Allen in Patiala House Court on 6 February 2012. The case trial is on and the matter is subj-udice.
He said the “so-called emails and photos are fabricated as I had not issued nor photographed Gandhi nor referred to him anywhere”. Allen also has a suit pending under sections of Information Technology Act and forgery at Patiala House court, Verma said.
“I will be initiating a suit for criminal defamation against C Edmonds Allen and maybe against Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav shortly,” Verma said.
He also claimed that a joint team of CBI and Enforcement Directorate visited Allen in New York in 2012.
No Response From Government
Varun Gandhi maintained that while he knew Verma, he never shared any information with him as he was not privy to any confidential information.
I met Abhishek Verma when I used to study in London at the age of 22; I have not met him since. Defence committee mei member tha lekin wahan jab koi secret baatein hume batayi nahi jati to phir kise leak karenge? (I was in the defence committee, but when we are not told about any confidential information, how will we leak it?)
Senior BJP members said that the defence consultative committee or parliamentary committees does not generally have access to confidential documents or information, The Economic Times reports.
Prashant Bhushan Wants Investigation into Scorpene Leak
While the PMO has also not responded to the reports, lawyer and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Prashant Bhushan levelled allegations against Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the government.
Bhushan claimed that despite having all the details, BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it.
He also claimed that the current government did not investigate the Scorpene leak and conducted only a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) instead of filing an FIR.
Bhushan has demanded an FIR be filed in the Scorpene leaks, and negotiations in the Rafale deal to be released as he believes India is paying almost double the cost of one aircraft for 36 Rafale fighter jets.
With regard to the Scorpene deal, Verma said the "Delhi High Court had on 13 January 2016 dismissed the PIL filed by Bhushan on Scorpene submarines purchase in which I was implicated as a party by Bhushan, as it had no merit.”
Bhushan suppressed the above fact of dismissal of his PIL in this issue in his tweet of last week and also in today’s press conference. The act of Bhushan today tantamounts to contempt of court.Abhishek Verma, Arms Dealer
While Bhushan and Yadav did not name Varun Gandhi, they did point towards a “BJP MP who was a member of the defence consultative committee”. Varun Gandhi said that he will file a defamation case against Bhushan for his comments.
(With inputs from The Economic Times, NDTV and PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)