Congress accuses Narendra Modi of protecting Nirav Modi
New Delhi, June 14: The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of protecting Nirav Modi in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case and sought a reply from Ministry of External Affairs on the absconding diamantaire's travel spree using a revoked passport.
"Even as the Modi Government has been caught snoozing, Chhota Modi-2 i.e 'Nirav Modi, the absconding accused in India's 'Biggest bank loot scam' is on a travel spree using a
'revoked passport' by the Ministry of External Affairs," said former Union Minister Rajeev Shukla.
Nirav Modi, his wife, brother and uncle fled the country before the PNB complained against their companies, saying it had been cheated through fraudulent issue of Letters of Undertakings (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs).
The Interpol has written a letter to investigative agencies stating that despite the revocation of his passport, Nirav Modi travelled three countries on four different dates - March 15, March 28, March 30 and March 31, Shukla disclosed.
"The Interpol says that Nirav Modi travelled using Indian passport, post his 'revocation' - and then how did the Immigration authorities and exit points remain unaware of this.
"Now it is crystal clear that Modi is saving another Modi! Now the question is, whether
one Modi is supporting the other," Shukla said.
He pointed that Nirav Modi fled India on January 1, and was then seen in a group photograph with Narendra Modi during World Economic Forum from January 23 to 26.
"The MEA only revoked his passport on February 24. Why did it take 54 days to revoke his passport? Was the Modi Government aiding and abetting the escape of Nirav Modi and facilitating his escape to the farthest point from India's shores," he asked, dubbing the government "a mute spectator".
"It is ridiculous and painful to witness that a 'strong' Modi government is caught
snoozing, even as Nirav Modi travels indulges in globetrotting, while making a mockery out our systems," he said.
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SC refuses to entertain plea against deletion of names from WB voter list, terms it ‘premature’
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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea by a group of 13 people seeking its intervention in the deletion of their names from the voter list during the Special Institutional Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, where polling for the first phase of the assembly election will be held on April 23.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi termed the petition "premature", directing the aggrieved parties to approach the established appellate tribunals instead.
"Since the petitioners (Quaraisha Yeasmin and others) have already approached the appellate tribunals… in our considered view, the apprehensions expressed in the petition are premature. If the plea is allowed, then necessary consequences will follow,” the bench said in its order, adding that it has not expressed any views on the merits of the plea.
The plea alleged that the Election Commission was summarily deleting names without following due process, and that appeals against these deletions were not being heard in a timely manner.
The Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court has set up as many as 19 tribunals headed by former HC chief justices and judges to decide appeals against deletions of names of persons from the voters’ lists.
Senior advocate D S Naidu, appearing for the poll panel, informed the court that there are approximately 30 to 34 lakh appeals currently pending. "Every tribunal now has over one lakh appeals to handle," the bench said.
The petitioners’ counsel argued that the EC had failed to place necessary orders before the relevant judicial authorities and that the "freezing date" for the electoral rolls should be extended.
"If I am not allowed to argue, then what is the use? Will these appeals be decided within a timeframe or just kept extending?" the counsel asked.
Justice Bagchi, during the hearing, referred to the sanctity of the electoral process and said the right to vote is not merely a constitutional formality but a "sentimental" pillar of democracy.
"The right to vote in a country you were born in is not just constitutional, but sentimental. It is about being part of a democracy and helping elect a government," he said.
He, however, said that the tribunals, manned by former judges, cannot be overburdened by fixing the timelines for adjudications.
"It is not the end justifying the means, but the means justifying the end," Justice Bagchi said.
"We need to protect due process rights. The voter should not be sandwiched between two constitutional authorities," he said, adding that it would not interdict the election process at this stage.
Justice Bagchi noted that the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice had already formulated the manner and mode for appeals, which began on Monday.
"Unless and until an enormous number of voters are excluded or it materially affects the election... the election cannot be cancelled," the bench said, adding that judicial intervention is intended to "promote elections, not interdict them."
The CJI emphasised that the petitioners must exhaust their remedies before the appellate tribunals.
Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, and votes will be counted on May 4.
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