Paradise Papers: Cong demands filing of FIR against Sinha

NEW DELHI, Nov 6: Attacking the NDA Government on the revelations on ‘Paradise Papers’  in which names of 714 Indians have surfaced, including that of Union Minister, Jayant Sinha, the Congress on Monday demanded filing of an FIR against Mr Sinha in this regard.
Talking to reporters here, AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said, ”even as the Government did not register a single FIR till now in the 500 names which had surfaced during Panama Papers expose in May 2016, new set of investigations known as the ‘Paradise Papers’ have surfaced wherein 714 Indian links of tax havens have emerged including that of a Union Minister Jayant Sinha and a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, RK Sinha.
The latest expose of ‘Paradise Papers’  has named Mr Jayant Sinha and BJP Rajya Sabha MP, RK Sinha with links to offshore entities. D Light Design, a US company with s subsidiary of the same name in offshore tax haven ie Cayman Island, signed a loan agreement dated December 31, 2012 with Mr Jayant Sinha as a signatory and a director.
Mr Sinha concealed this information of being a director of ‘D Light Design’ in his declaration to the Election Commission as also to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the PMO.
Further, he continued as a director of D Light Design even after being elected as an MP in May 2014. He continued to receive money and shares of ‘D Light Design’ during this period.
Another expose has already revealed that Mr Sinha is a director of India Foundation as MoS Civil Aviation with major Civil Aviation companies including Boeing sponsoring the various events of India Foundation.
“Does it not compromise the position of Mr Jayant Sinha as MoS? Does it not tantamount to ‘Conflict of Interest’?  Does the non-disclosure of all information in the affidavit before Election Commission not an electoral offence?
We demand filing of an FIR against the Union Minister,” Mr Surjewala said. He also reiterated the demand for the resignation of four union ministers for their alleged association with India foundation of Mr Ram Madhav.
Accusing the Narendra Modi of having failed to take action against Black Money holders abroad as brought out by revelations in the ‘Panama papers’, Mr Surjewala said, ”Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s so-called fight against Black Money and Corruption remains a ‘Complete Flop’.
Mr Modi had promised to bring back ?80 lakh crore in the first 100 days and depositing ?15 Lakh in bank accounts of every Indian. 41 months thereafter, Mr Modi has back-stabbed the people. Modi Government has not taken any action against Black Money holders abroad.
”Why has Modi Government not taken action and publically disclosed names of those having offshore accounts in Liechtenstein, HSBC, ‘Panama Papers’ and ‘Paradise Papers’?
Why is the PM Modi and the Government protecting these persons?  In June 2014, the Modi Government refused to make public names of Indians who had dubious foreign bank accounts in the LGT Bank in Liechtenstein.
On December 10, 2010, the Congress-UPA had told the Supreme Court that the IT department had slapped a penalty of Rs 24.26 crore on 18 Indian nationals who, on the basis of data provided by LGT Bank, were found to have deposited Rs 43.83 crore abroad.
No criminal proceedings have been filed against these account holders till date by present BJP Government. “In Panama papers, 500 names have been revealed by the media, but no action has been taken by the Modi Government to investigate the matter in a credible manner through a Supreme Court monitored SIT, ” Mr Surjewala added. (UNI)