Suit-Boot BFF: Rahul Gandhi's dig at PM Modi on Mehul Choksi clean chit

New Delhi: A fresh row sparked off between BJP and Congress when Congress pointed to Antigua’s assertion that Indian agencies had given him a clean chit during BJP-led government. 

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has often criticised and accused the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre of letting diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehlu Choksi flee the country also waded in later, with a short video where PM Modi calls Mehul Choksi as ‘Mehul bhai’ at the launch of Gold Monetisation Scheme in 2015.

In retaliation to the allegations, BJP asked the Congress to explain the statement by Mehul Choksi’s lawyer in which he mentioned that Choksi had links with ‘big leader’ of the opposition parties. 

Anil Baluni, BJP spokesperson said, “The fact is that Mehul Choksi’s assets were raised during 2012-2014 when Congress-led UPA was in power.”

The blame game between the two major political rival parties was triggered by a statement put out by Antigua’s Citizenship by Investment Unit that is facing criticism for allowing Choksi to buy the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda. 

Antigua’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) in its explanation said that it had sought and received clearance from Mumbai passport office which certified that there was no adverse information against Choksi. 

Also Read: India cops okayed our background check of Mehul Choksi: Antigua

Choksi had applied for Antigua’s citizenship in May 2017. The background check was done before he became a wanted man in India. 

According to reports, Choksi had bought Antigua’s citizenship as a part of Citizenship by Investment policy by paying Rs 1.3 crore. 

He left India in first week of January and took oath of allegiance on January 15 as Antigua’s citizen. 

The CBI had filed a case on January 29, 2018 and started investigating Nirav Modi and Choksi.  

Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi are accused of Rs 13,500 crore fraud involving fake guarantees in the name of Punjab National Bank to facilitate overseas loans. 
The Congress, however, said the statement by the Antigua government had uncovered new facts that demonstrate the "the active connivance and complicity of every agency of Modi Govt."

Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala said, "Loot and make them scoot is the prime policy of the Modi government. The shocking details reveal how the Modi government enacted this mega scam." 

“Why Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not raise the issue when he met his Antiguan counterpart Gaston Browne in April 2018,” questioned Surjewala.