By Santosh Kumar Pathak New Delhi, Aug 5 : In a scathing attack on the interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, former Union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy accused the Gandhi family of being involved in money laundering.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, Swamy said that a sentence of jail is likely for both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on charges of money laundering in connection with the National Herald case.
Specializing in a broad range of topics, Swamy talked about Ram Setu and expressed his concerns regarding the country’s economic situation, not to mention other.
Below are excerpts of the interview:
Q: The National Herald case has created quite an uproar in the political circles of the nation.You were the first to first raise the issue.What’s the problem and how did it go against the law?
A: I addressed this issue for the first time in 2012 at a press conference and then went to the court in this regard in 2013.The Gandhi family had filed an appeal against the case that I filed even in the Supreme Court, only to be disappointed.The Patiala House Courts had observed that in the case I filed there were indeed irregularities and a trial was required to be conducted.
As the matter was related to financial crimes The defendants were let out on bail.and from there, the whole process began.
Hearings were scheduled and a lot of documents and papers also came out.
I had also sought other documents as according to the procedure which were rejected by Congress.But, I eventually got my the documents after contacting the highest courts.Then, it came into my attention that there were income tax frauds that were also involved.
An investigation into the matter was eventually concluded that they were guilty.After the case was litigated, it is now in the Supreme Court.
Q What is the basis upon which you believe that the there were irregularities?
A: Sonia and Rahul Gandhi had formed a firm dubbed Young Indian Limited for which the capital paid up was just five lakhs rupees.The firm had offered to Congress Congress the opportunity to take a loan of 50 lakh in order that, on the basis of the loan amount the responsibilities of Associated Journal Limited could be transferred to Young Indian Limited.
This is how, with only Rs 50 lakh, they bought the company that was publishing the National Herald newspaper.However, the worth of the business at the time including the building as well as other assets, was the amount of Rs 5,000 crore.
Q: But even though you claim that they were able to acquire a company that was worth more than Rs 5,000 crore, for the price of only 50 lakhs, the Congress and its leader, Rahul Gandhi has been making up with accusations against the BJP-led administration.
A: Their claims are completely false.I wrote to the government in 2014 following the BJP was elected to power, stating that the matter should be investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.
I had informed the government in the past that 1 crore was stolen from a fake Kolkata-based company — Dotex which was implicated in hawala transactions and laundering.
From the amount the equivalent of Rs 50 lakh was used to purchase Associated Journal Limited.I also informed the ED that Dotex was under investigation for its suspected actions.
Later, I came learn that Dotex had been paying the Congress had given cheques to Dotex from banks based in Switzerland, and Dotex was able to convert those currencies into INR, and then ‘paid the Congress.this is a clear case of money laundering and is covered by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Q: What do you’re saying the Congress and its higher-ups are tied to traders in hawala?
A: Yes.They were able to receive funds from banks in foreign countries which I had informed the government, too.
Q What should be the result of the National Herald case?
A: In light of all the information that are available in this instance, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others will definitely be imprisoned.If the BJP government remains in the power they will certainly be in prison.
However, in the event that the Congress becomes the next government and the Congress is elected, nothing can be said.however, even in that case, I’d recommend going to the courts.
Q: Your appeal to the Supreme Court’s request to declare Ram Setu an integral part of the national heritage will be heard in the near future.What made you want to approach the court regarding the matter, and what do you expect from the court today?
A I’d made two applications in the Madras High Court in 2007.Then I went to the Supreme Court.Based on the merits of my argument to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court refused to give approval to the plans of breaking up or splitting the Ram Setu for the Sethusamudram Project.I’ve been involved in the process of getting Ram Setu declared a national heritage site for quite a while.
My efforts received a major boost when the BJP was elected to power.
In the end I went to the Supreme Court with an appeal to declare Ram Setu a national heritage and for the government to be given the responsibility of preserving and protect it.
The court has sent notice to the federal government regarding the matter and I am expecting an outcome that is positive following the hearing set for next week.
Q: You’ve also been active on social media regarding the current economic situation of the country.
A Concerning the issue of economics and the state of the economy is concerned, I have to state that the economic policies of the government are completely wrong.
The Finance Minister is not able to manage the economy.and the officials are just seeking to defend themselves.
But the reality is that the economic system is in the midst of a major crisis and it could collapse at anytime.I’ve been in contact with the Prime Minister on this critical problem.
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