Rubbishing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s allegations of involvement in the Nirav Modi fraud, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said that he would sue Sitharaman and her colleagues for spreading “false, defamatory and distasteful news”.
Addressing a press conference, Sitharaman had alleged that one of the companies, Firestar Diamond International Private Ltd, was on lease at a property owned by Advait Holding Ltd, where Anita Singhvi was a shareholder.
Anita is the wife of Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi.
At the press conference, Sitharaman said that Singhvi’s son Avishkar Manas Singhvi was a possible stakeholder as well.
But the wife of one of the senior Congress leaders is here as a property shareholder, she is a director by designation.
Singhvi, retaliating to Sitharaman’s allegations, said that neither him nor his family were involved with Mehul Choksi or Nirav Modi. Addressing the media, Singhvi said:
I intend to file a civil and defamation case against the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her colleagues who are spreading the defamatory allegations, I also intend to take action against the sections of media who are spreading the same.
Singhvi also further clarified that the company was a tenant in one of the properties owned by his family.
Adwait Holding owns a commercial property at Parel, as it does elsewhere, which was rented by Firestone many years ago. Neither Adwait nor my family has any interest with Modi or Firestone. Firestone vacated Parel Kamla Mills premises in December 2017.
Later, addressing another press conference, Kapil Sibal questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the deal, especially when over 151 LoUs were signed in 2017, under his regime.
“According to CBI FIR, there are a total of 151 LOUs (Letters of Undertaking) in 2017, and the payments were due in 2018. why there is no clarification from FM and why is the PM silent,” Sibal asked.
The Congress also asked why Modi was silent on the issue and how did the agencies permit billionaire diamond merchant Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others to leave India. “When a complaint was lodged against Mehul Choksi in the PMO, it was not even taken into consideration,” said Sibal.
(With inputs from IANS)
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