PMO facilitated Choksi's escape, alleges Congress

Vartha Bharati | 28-08-2018 | 23:16:00 IST

New Delhi, Aug 28 : Calling it the biggest cover-up by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Congress on Tuesday alleged that despite the PMO being aware of the financial irregularities and pending complaints against PNB scam-accused Mehul Choksi, it "facilitated" his escape.

"Connivance of the PMO led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the escape of Rs 23,484-crore PNB scam accused-Mehul Choksi is now out in the open," said Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a statement.

"Ten months before he fled India, Mehul Choksi visited the Mumbai passport office in early 2017, to obtain a clearance, which certified there was no adverse information against him," he added.

Khera said: "Serious proofs have come to light to show that 'every concerned agency was aware about the serious complaints pending against the runaway diamond trader'.

"This has been conceded by none other than Prime Minister's Office on August 3 2017," he added.

Khera also said: "Antigua and Barbabos Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in an interview to a major television channel on July 27 had said that the Indian government has not approached them on fugitive diamond jeweller Choksi, who has secured citizenship of the Caribbean country."

"It is important to note that Modi had met Gaston Browne in April 2018, but did not raise the issue of Mehul Choksi's citizenship," he added.

The party said that it has been a matter of record that the Ministry of External Affairs wrote to the PMO seeking information on Mehul Choksi.

"The letter seeks to know if charges were pending against fraudster Mehul Choksi during approval of citizenship request for which the latter applied in early 2017 in Mumbai," said Khera.

Khera also said: "PMO's reply to MEA's letter is now in public domain. The letter August 3, 2017, was addressed to the Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

"Not surprisingly, the biggest cover-up ever, the PMO admits that complaints were received by it from public domain regarding huge financial irregularities tantamount to crime.

"Even the PMO on record had admitted that Finance Ministry, Home Ministry, CBI Director, ED, SFIO had forwarded the complaints on Choksi's frauds. This also shows that PMO was aware about Mehul Choksi's financial wrongdoings and maintained a suspicious silence," he added.

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Kharge expresses regret over 'illiterate' remark, says he has highest of respect for Gujaratis

08-04-2026 ¦ 08-04-2026 IST

Photo: Mallikarjun Kharge (PTI)

New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed regret over his controversial statement calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate", and said he has always had and will continue to have the highest of respect for the people of the state.

In a post on X, the Congress president said, "Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret.

"It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect."

Kharge on Sunday had sparked a row during his Assembly poll campaign in Kerala, calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate" and claiming they were being "fooled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the same time, Kharge said neither Modi nor Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan could fool the people of Kerala, describing them as "very clever and educated".

"Don’t misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever and educated. Modiji, Vijayan, you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you cannot fool the people of Kerala," the Congress chief had said.

He made the remark while alleging that both Modi and Vijayan were following the same path, with no difference between them except the parties they lead.

The BJP on Tuesday had demanded an apology from Kharge for his remarks, saying that the comment was "shameless, demeaning and utterly despicable."

Addressing a press conference here, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify whether they agreed with Kharge's statement.