Mumbai: As part of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strategy to mount pressure on the Congress, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday alleged direct links on the Gandhi family in AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal.
Mr Fadnavis claimed that Christian Michel’s alleged revelations have ‘proved’ the involvement of the Gandhi family in the alleged scandal.
The Enforcement Directo-rate (ED) had on Saturday informed Delhi’s Patiala House court that Michael has taken the name of Sonia Gandhi during interrogation but in what reference it can’t be said.
Referring to ED’s claim, Mr Fadnavis said, “ Michel has clearly named Sonia Gandhi and hinted at her son Rahul Gandhi. So not only Congress, but also the involvement of several other leaders has been established.”
The ED also told the Delhi court that Michael has identified how Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was removed from the deal and not offered to Tata. “When Rahul Gandhi can frequently talk about Rafale case and HAL, why doesn’t he speak now? HAL was deliberately ignored and kept out of the deal. The Congress and its senior leaders have been benefited by this corrupt deal and the ED has reiterated the same,” Mr Fadnavis said.
“This has exposed that they (Congress and its leaders) are neck deep in corruption,” Mr Fadnavis said.
State congress president Ashok Chavan rejected Mr Fadnavis’s allegations saying that his allegations are like ‘a thief complaining about a robbery’. “The false story of Christian Michel was written by the Modi government and the ED in July 2018. To hide their scams, they are playing a dirty politics of defamation,” said Mr Chavan.
