The Opposition parties on Tuesday hit out at the BJP-led government over fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi's removal from the Interpol database of Red Notices, saying while the Opposition was being targeted by the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, its "friend" was being let off.
While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said talk of patriotism by those giving "protection" to such people is a "joke", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that businessmen Gautam Adani and fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi are the "best friends" of the BJP-led government at the Centre and saffron party was working only for these people. The Aam Aadmi Party accused the Centre of trying to save fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi after his name was removed from the Interpol database of Red Notices.
In a tweet, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, "'Vipaksh ko ED, CBI, Mitr ko rihaai' (ED, CBI for the Opposition, let off for friend)." "'Modani' model matlab pehle looto, phir bin sazaa ke chooto' (Modani model means first loot and then go scott-free without punishment)," he said.
"They are doing things to divert attention from real issues. Our embassies are being attacked. People who have run away with money from banks, Mehul Choksi, those giving protection to such people talk about patriotism, it is a joke." Kharge told reporters outside the Parliament.
Hitting out at the BJP government, the TMC supremo said that banks have no money and people are not getting their payments even after working for the 100 days' work scheme. "... The country is run by only a few people. Banks are totally penniless and the Centre is not giving money for the 100 days' work scheme (MGNREGA). But these people (Adani and Choksi) have collected lots of funds," Mamata claimed.
Choksi is wanted in a Rs 13,000 crore bank fraud in Punjab National Bank and is holed in Antigua and Barbuda after fleeing from India in 2018.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Raghav Chadha claimed that Choksi's name was removed from the Interpol's Red Notices as Indian probe agencies failed to provide “concrete evidence” of the charges slapped on him. Choksi had managed to obtain citizenship of Antigua as the BJP-led Centre issued a no objection certificate for this, Chadha alleged.
“While the government of India had issued a no objection certificate to Mehul Choksi to enable him to become citizen of Antigua earlier, the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation failed to provide concrete evidence against him resulting which his name has been removed from the Red Notices list,” the AAP leader alleged.