Reliance calls Rahul Gandhi's fresh allegations against Anil Ambani false

New Delhi: Following Congress president Rahul Gandhi's fresh allegations regarding businessman Anil Ambani's role in the Rafale fighter jet deal, Reliance Group has on Friday slammed the grand old party for falsehood. It further said that Reliance group and Anil Ambani are being dragged into a political battle in view of impending the upcoming State Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls.

"Unfortunate that Reliance Group and its Chairman Anil Ambani are being dragged into a political battle in view of impending State and General polls. Congress falsely alleged that funds invested in RADL were used for the purchase of land at Mihan, Nagpur for Dassault-Reliance 49:51 JV," Reliance said in a statement.

"The payment for the land at MIHAN, Nagpur, Maharashtra was made from 2015 to 2017, much before the investment by Dassault in RADL. The Congress party's attacks on Mr Anil Ambani in his individual capacity are shameful and deplorable," read the statement issued by Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RIL).

Making fresh charges, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had, earlier in the day, accused Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation of paying the "first tranche of kickbacks" of Rs 284 crore to Anil Ambani, citing investments made by the French firm in a "loss-making" Reliance group company.

Addressing a press conference, the Gandhi scion repeated his allegations of "huge" corruption in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale deal and said, "if an inquiry starts on this, Narendra Modi is not going to survive that inquiry, guaranteed".

"Dassault gave Rs 284 crore to a loss-making company with a valuation of Rs 8.3 lakh. This is the first instalment of kickbacks that has been given to Anil Ambani," he alleged.

In a tweet later, Rahul said "Rs 284 crore of Rafale kick-back money has been traced to an Anil Ambani owned company. The stench of corruption is leading straight to the gates of Race Course Road."

There is, however, no reaction from the government or the BJP yet on the fresh charges, though they have previously rejected all allegations over the Rafale deal.

(With inputs from agencies)