New Delhi: The opposition asked the Prime Minister to speak up in 11,300-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case involving diamond trader Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.
In a tweet, Rahul demanded the Prime Minister to end his silence in the high-profile case. He also took a swipe at Arun Jaitley, saying the Union finance minister was nowhere to be seen.
"PM Modi tells kids how to pass exams for 2 hrs, but won't speak for two mins on the 22,000Cr banking scam. Mr. Jaitley is in hiding. Stop behaving as if you're guilty! Speak up (sic)," the Congress chief tweeted, alluding to the PM's interaction with students at the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme on February 16.
Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi allegedly acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoT) from the state-owned bank to secure overseas credit from other lenders. The Enforcement Directorate has seized diamonds, gold jewelry and other precious stones worth `5,674 crore till now.
Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded that the "full truth" must come out. "This is just the tip of the iceberg. This big banking fraud was fuelled at the time of #DeMonetisation. Big money laundering happened during DeMo. Key bank officials were changed. Who are these people put in? There are more banks involved. The full truth must come out (sic)," she tweeted.
CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury also took potshots at the NDA government. "Poor farmers forced to commit suicide, while rich businessmen friends are invited to PM's residence and Davos so that they can scoot with public money," he tweeted.
In Bhopal, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav demanded the NDA government's resignation for failing to protect the money of ordinary depositors. "A government is the most powerful entity after god. If it cannot protect public money, who else will? They (the NDA government should immediately resign," he said.
Earlier in the day, the Congress party demanded the government bring out a white paper on the banking system, which it said suffered scams involving over `61,000 crore in the last five years.
"Bank frauds are tumbling out of the closet faster than you can say, Jack Robinson," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, adding Vikram Kothari — the owner of Rotomac pens who owes `800 crore to banks — was now untraceable.
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Hyderabad: Hyderabad MP and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi expressed his condolences on the passing of SM Syed Khalil, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Bhatkal. In a tweet, Owaisi referred to Syed Khalil as “Khalil Bhau,” fondly acknowledging his significant contributions to the Nawayat community and his work for the poor and needy.
“My condolences to the family of SM Syed Khalil saheb. He was affectionately called as Khalil Bhau, a great personality from the Nawayat Community. He headed many social organizations and helped many poor and needy people. A great loss to the people of Bhatkal. Will miss you, Khalil Bhau,” Owaisi tweeted.
SM Syed Khalil, who passed away in Dubai early Thursday morning after a brief illness, was a respected leader in the Nawayat community and a source of pride for Bhatkal. Known for his extensive contributions to international trade, education, and social service, Khalil’s life was marked by a commitment to uplift the underprivileged and strengthen community ties.
Among his many achievements, Syed Khalil was the Founder Chairman of K&K Enterprises in Sharjah and played a pivotal role in the success of the Galadari Company in Dubai over three decades. He also served as the Chairman of Madhyama Communications Ltd., Mangalore, and was actively involved in promoting Kannada and Konkani languages and culture.
In Bhatkal, he was a guiding force behind institutions like Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen and Rabita Society, where he championed girls’ education and worked to improve opportunities for the community. His leadership, humility, and compassion earned him widespread respect, and his contributions extended far beyond Bhatkal, touching lives across Karnataka and beyond.
My condolences to the family of SM Syed Khalil saheb he was affectionately called as Khalil Bhau a great personality from Nawayat Community,he headed many social organisations helped many poor and needy people,great loss to the people of Bhatkal ,will miss you Khalil bhau pic.twitter.com/piHjCCRD5d
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) November 21, 2024