We are trying to clean Congress' mess, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a counter to Congress' allegation on the PNB scam, saying the entire might of the Centre has been invoked to pin the culprit Nirav Modi in the fraud case immediately after it came to light.

In government's defence, Sitharaman brought out papers that purportedly pointed to Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi's link to Gitanjali jewellers, the firm owned by Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi."They (Congress) gave a building on rent. But they blame us for all the wrongs," Sitharaman said.

She further pointed out that Anita, wife of Singhvi, was a director of one of the private holding firms which has dealing with Modi's jewellery company in Mumbai. Gitanjali Gems was suspended for 6 months from doing business on NSE in 2013, she added. "On 13 September, 2013, Rahul Gandhi attended a promotion event of this jewellery group," she claimed.


"You promote Geetanjali Gems, give them building on lease, your wife is a director and accuse us of wrong-doing," Sitharaman railed.

"The Congress party indulges in such scandalous affairs; misuses positions in government; tweaks systems to help themselves and quietly cover up everything they do," Sitharaman said in the press conference.

"The original sin, in this particular episode of Nirav Modi PNB, was indeed committed in 2011."