Rs 1,600 cr graft: Subramanian Swamy says Sonia Gandhi knee-deep in graft,Sam Pitroda,Rahul to sue

Swamy said Associated Journals obtained an unsecured loan of over Rs 90 crore from AICC which he claimed was illegal under Income Tax Act because a political party cannot give loans for commercial purposes.

He also alleged that the Young Indian wrote off the loans due to AICC for a mere Rs 50 lakh and by a board resolution,the Associate Journals is sold by transfer of shares to Young Indian,which is not a newspaper or journal producing company.

The deal,Swamy alleged,was to grab prized property like Herald House in Delhi and other properties of the Associated Journals in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

He demanded a joint probe by Company Affairs Ministry and CBI and a wrote a letter pressing his demand.

Congress was dismissive of Swamy’s allegations,saying that there some characters who utter “anything,anytime”.

“In every society and country,you have some characters. The person you are referring might be one of them who could speak anything,anytime,” AICC General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said.

BJP demanded an immediate probe into the allegations.

“The government should immediately order a probe into the allegations,” senior BJP leader Balbir Punj said.

Sam Pitroda threatens to sue Swamy

Eminent technocrat Sam Pitroda today expressed shock over Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy allegations regarding the acquisition of a company that ran National Herald newspaper and threatened to sue him for defamation.

“The allegations made by Dr Swamy are utterly false,entirely baseless and defamatory. The action in calling a press conference is motivated.

“We are committed to pursuing all legal action against the scandalous abuse of right to speech in the press conference. If necessary we will pursue all legal remedies open to us,” he said in his reaction to Swamy’s charges.

Earlier in the day,Swamy targeted Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi raising questions over acquisition of a company that published the now-defunct National Herald newspaper to which Congress gave a loan of over Rs 90 crore.

Pitroda,who is on the Managing Committee of ‘Young Indian’,a Sec 25 company which acquired Associated Journals Private Ltd,said he did not not understand the whole thing about the charges made by Swamy.

“I am shocked at this kind of attack,” he said.

Rahul threatens to sue Swamy

Rahul Gandhi tonight threatened to pursue “all legal actions” against Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy,who targeted him and Sonia Gandhi raising questions over acquisition of a company that published the now-defunct National Herald newspaper to which Congress gave a loan of over Rs 90 crore.

“Our attention has been drawn to your purported press conference of the afternoon of November 1. The allegations made by you are utterly false,entirely baseless and defamatory,” Rahul Gandhi’s office said in a communication to Swamy.

It said,”Your action of calling a press conference is a motivated attempt for reasons,which one can easily discern.”

“We are committed to pursuing all legal actions against the scandalous abuse evident in your so-called press conference. Please be informed that we shall pursue the legal remedies open to us against the utterly motivated and irresponsible contents of your press conference.

“And that we shall pursue all proceedings that are available in law to ensure that an individual like you do not abuse the freedom to speak and write in utter violation of the equal important need in a civilised society to maintain the dignity of individuals and organizations and to abide by the law of the country,” it said.

Earlier addressing a press conference here,Swami had said Sonia and Rahul had floated a Section 25 company called ‘Young Indian’ each with a share holding of 38 per cent,which acquired Associated Journals,founded by late Jawaharlal Nehru,that published the National Herald and Quami Awaz.

Swamy said Associated Journals obtained an unsecured loan of over Rs 90 crore from AICC which he claimed was illegal under Income Tax Act because a political party cannot give loans for commercial purposes.