PNB fraud: Have nothing to do with Nirav Modi, says Abhishek Manu Singhvi, warns of defamation suit against BJP

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of filing a defamation suit for levelling allegations of his links with billionaire Nirav Modi. "Nirmala Sitharaman and her colleagues are liable to civil and criminal defamation for making ignorant and patently false allegations. I reserve my rights to take all such appropriate legal action against the latter," Singhvi said.

The Congress leader also clarified that none of his family members had any links with Nirav Modi's companies. "Neither my wife, sons nor me have anything whatsoever to do with Gitanjali or Nirav Modi companies. The company was a tenant of a Kamla Mills property owned by Adwait holdings in which my wife and sons are directors," Singhvi said.

Explaining his stand, he said that the Adwait Holding owns a commercial property at Parel which was rented by Firestone many years ago. "Neither Adwait nor my family has any interest with Nirav Modi or Firestone. Firestone vacated Parel Kamla Mills premises in December 2017," Singhvi added.

His clarification comes after Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman claimed that the multi-crore scam in the Punjab National Bank took place during the term of the United Progressive Alliance government. 

"It was Congress was who let out a building to Nirav Modi's Firestar Diamond, which had Anita Singh - the wife of Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi -- as one of the directors," Sitharaman said claiming that Congress was the beneficiary and promoter of the company.

She also trained guns at Congress president Rahul Gandhi claiming that he participated in the promotional event of Gitanjali Jewels. "Gitanjali jewels was suspended for 6 months from doing business on NSE in 2013. On September 13, 2013, Rahul Gandhi attended a promotional event of this jewellery group," the Defence Minister said. 

Alleging that top Congress leaders are involved in this scam, Sitharaman alleged that all the inheritance, legacy and properties in this case belonged to the Congress party.