Congress dragging my name to digress from row over Vadra: BJP National Secretary Sidharth Nath Singh

NEW DELHI: BJP National Secretary Sidharth Nath Singh today rejected Congress' charge of having links with a controversial arms dealer and accused it of dragging his name to "digress" from Robert Vadra issue.

Singh said he knew the dealer, whose premises were searched by the IT department, as their children have gone to the same school.

"My association is social and unlike Robert Vadra who is under investigation for controversial acquiring of a London house. Moreover, Congress has alleged that I have made in a short period 450 calls to the defence dealer. The same is factually incorrect and nowhere near reality.

"However I am open to any investigation which is welcome ... Congress party, rather than answering questions on Vadra's alleged home in London, is dragging my name with him, so as to digress from the main issue. To put the record straight, let me admit I know him socially to the extent that our children have gone to the same school," Singh said in a statement.

News reports today quoted from purported papers seized by the IT department during searches last month on the arms dealer's premises that allegedly led to a trail of emails between Vadra and his assistant on the one hand and the dealer's aide on the other regarding the purchase of a London house for approximately Rs 19 crore in 2009 which was subsequently said to have been sold.

Vadra's legal firm has denied that he owned the London property directly or indirectly. It also denied that Vadra had any business ties with the arms dealer or his aide.