New Delhi: Quashing the allegations by Nirmala Sitharaman that his family members hold shares in a company run by fraudulent Nirav Modi, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday threatened to take legal action against the Union defence minister.
Addressing the media in the national capital, Sitharaman, accused Singhvi’s wife and son of holding stocks in Fire Star Diamond I’nal Pvt Ltd- a company run by Nirav Modi. “Fire Star Diamond I’nal Pvt Ltd is one of the companies that Nirav Modi runs. They’ve taken on lease property which belongs to Advait Holding Ltd in Trade Point Building in Lower Parel. From 2002 Anita Singhvi is one of the shareholders. You know who’s wife she is,” said the defence minister.
Also read: We're doing what Congress didn’t do: Sitharaman on PNB fraud case
Reacting sharply to the accusations, Singhvi said, "NDA cheap sense of politics has reached ludicrous and ridiculous proportions. Neither My wife, sons nor me have anything whatsoever to do with Gitanjali or Nirav Modi companies."
Singhvi said, "Nirmala Sitharaman and her colleagues are liable to civil and criminal defamation for making ill considered and patently false allegations. I reserve my rights to take all such appropriate legal action against the latter and all parts of the media which carry such false and maliciously defamatory allegations."
The Congress leader added, "Nirav Modi’s company was a tenant of a Kamla Mills property owned by Adwait Holdings in which my wife and sons are a director. Adwait Holdings 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. Last August Firestone gave notice to quit tenancy and vacated Parel Kamla Mills premises in December 2017."
Also read: PNB scam: CBI arrests bank ex-official, prime accused Gokulnath Shetty
Earlier on Saturday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested three people in connection with the over Rs 11,400-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
The probe agency arrested former Deputy Manager of PNB, Gokulnath Shetty (now Retd), Manoj Kharat, SWO (single window operator) PNB and Hemant Bhat, Authorised Signatory of the Nirav Modi Group of Firms.
Meanwhile, the agency raided the residences of the PNB officials probing their role in issuing the LoUs to the companies.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi's statement on Nirmala Sitharaman's 'false allegations'. (Photo: Twitter | @DrAMSinghvi)
