Amethi candidate challenges Rahul's affidavit, raises questions on citizenship
Amethi/New Delhi, Apr 20: An independent candidate Saturday raised objections over Congress president Rahul Gandhi's nomination from Amethi, alleging discrepancies over citizenship and educational qualifications in his election affidavit.
Citing the complaint, the BJP said in New Delhi asked Gandhi to come clean on the matter.
Complainant Dhruv Lal's lawyer Ravi Prakash showed reporters purported copies of a certificate of incorporation of a UK-registered company in which the Congress leader is stated to be a British national.
Amethi's returning officer Ram Manohar Misra told reporters that Rahul Gandhi's counsel had sought time to reply to the objections and has been asked to do so by Monday.
Ravi Prakash claimed that the UK Company had existed for five years and would have made some profit, but that has not been disclosed in the affidavit.
He told reporters that he has urged the returning officer to look into this aspect.
The independent candidate's counsel said he has sought a clarification on Gandhi's citizenship as being a UK citizen would bar him from fighting the Lok Sabha elections.
Yogendra Misra, the president of the district Congress unit, said the objections will be countered legally on Monday.
Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwar Lu said he has sought information on the complaint from the district election authorities.
In Delhi, BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said it is "stunning" that Gandhi's lawyer sought time to reply to the objections.
"These are serious allegations. Is Rahul Gandhi an Indian citizen or not? Did he ever become a British citizen? He should come out with the real story," he told reporters.
Election Commission sources said the returning officer is the final authority on such a matter, but he cannot check the veracity of what is submitted in an election affidavit.
If anyone has an objection to what is recorded in an affidavit, the person should approach the court, they said.
The BJP spokesperson claimed that a British company, in which Gandhi had said in 2004 that he made investments, had made a submission that year to the authorities there that he was a British citizen.
Referring to the complaint, the BJP spokesperson said there are "discrepancies and attempts to suppress facts" in Gandhi's affidavits filed during different elections from 2004 to 2014.
The Congress chief had said that he did M Phil in development economics from Cambridge University, but later claimed it was in development studies, Rao alleged.
The BJP spokesman said inquiries show that one Rahul Vincy and not Rahul Gandhi got the degree that particular year.
"We will like to know if Rahul Gandhi goes by multiple names in different countries," Rao said.
He also wondered if the Gandhi scion's qualifications were like Congress manifestos that change every five years.
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Six arrested in Bengaluru drug racket; narcotics worth Rs 20 crore seized
Bengaluru: Six persons have been arrested for allegedly procuring banned narcotic substances at low prices and selling them for profit, with college students among the buyers, police said on Tuesday.
Police seized 8 kg 58 g of MDMA, 5 kg 700 g of hydro ganja, four mobile phones, and a car used to transport the drugs. The total value of the seized items is estimated at Rs 10.05 crore, while the market value is around Rs 20.10 crore, The Times of India reported.
The arrests followed searches carried out at various locations based on specific intelligence inputs.
Police said information had been received about the sale of banned drugs, including MDMA and hydro ganja, within the limits of Yeshwanthpur and Nandini Layout police stations.
“During these operations, six individuals were detained on different dates, two from other states and four locals,” a statement issued by the office of City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.
“Upon interrogation, the accused confessed that they were purchasing banned drugs such as MDMA and hydro ganja at low prices from unknown inter-state and local suppliers and selling them to the public, with college students among the buyers, for profit,” the statement added.
Police said efforts are underway to identify and trace the suppliers involved in the network.
All six accused have been produced before a court on different dates and remanded to judicial custody, police said.
