PTI
NEW DELHI, APRIL 28
BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the VVIP chopper scam and asked her to name those who received the “kickbacks”.
“All I want to ask her is that those who gave bribe are in jail in Italy, then where are those who received the kickbacks? Who were in power at that time? They are responsible and they should bring out the truth. It should be disclosed before the people of the country,” he said.
Taking a jibe at Gandhi over her remarks on Wednesday that she does not fear anybody, Shah said she is “right” and that is why such “scams” keep coming out in the open.
“That is why when the National Herald corruption case happens, you say you do not fear anybody. When the AgustaWestland case occurs, you say you do not fear anybody… I want to tell her that we in Bhartiya Janata Party are afraid of the Constitution, rules and public norms,” he told a group of journalists.
“I think she should come out of this mindset about whether she fears anybody or not and make it clear before the people that when it has been proved by an Italian court that bribe was given, then who received the money. Who are responsible?”he asked.
Taking a dig at the UPA government, he said it was a “rare dispensation” as scams under it were reported when it was in power and they continue to be reported even two years after it was voted out.
Gandhi had on Wednesday rejected as “baseless” allegations linking her and party leaders to bribes in the chopper deal, calling these an attempt at character assassination.
SC to hear plea against Sonia, Manmohan next week
The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will hear next week a PIL seeking registration of an FIR against political leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in connection with AgustaWestland Chopper case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and justices R Banumathi and U U Lalit ordered listing of the PIL when advocate M L Sharma said that it is an urgent matter which should be heard at the earliest.
The CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and the Prime Minister.
An Italian court has reportedly cited handwritten references to Ms. Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel and former Air Chief S P Tyagi by a middleman in a judgement that convicted the helicopter company’s chief executive.
