Subramanian Swamy says order to downgrade Mallya notice came from finance ministry
New Delhi : It's an "undeniable fact" that Vijay Mallya told Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament that he was leaving for London, Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said today.
Another such fact, according to Swamy: That a lookout notice was "diluted on [October] 24, 2015 from 'Block' to 'Report' departure, enabling Mallya to depart with 54 checked luggage items".
We have now two undeniable facts on the Mallya escape issue: 1. Look Out Notice was diluted on Oct 24, 2015 from “Block” to “Report” departure enabling Mallya to depart with 54 checked luggage items. 2. Mallya told FM in Central Hall of Parliament that he was leaving for London.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 13, 2018
Swamy said he learned from "sources" that the lookout notice was downgraded on the orders of "someone" in the Ministry of Finance.
I learn from my sources that the Lookout Notice issued by CBI for Mallya was modified from “Block Departure” to “Report Departure” on October 24, 2015 on orders from someone in MoF. Who?
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 12, 2018
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi asked why Swamy was just tweeting, and said he was duty-bound to "reveal and report".
'NO POINT TALKING TO ME'
Yesterday, Mallya told reporters in London that he met Jaitley before he left India. The former liquor baron later said he never met Jaitley formally.
Jaitley, on his part, said Mallya used his privilege as a Rajya Sabha member and accosted him in the corridor of Parliament.
"He paced up to catch up with me and while walking uttered a sentence that 'I am making an offer of settlement'," he said. "Having been fully briefed about his earlier 'bluff offers', without allowing him to proceed with the conversation, I curtly told him 'there was no point talking to me and he must make offers to his bankers'."
"I did not even receive the papers that he was holding in his hand."
PL Punia, a Congress party spokesperon, said Jaitley was "lying". "I saw him having [a] prolonged meeting in Central Hall of Parliament about two days before he [Mallya] was allowed to escape from India," he said.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Mallya's "allegations" were "extremely serious".
"The PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter. Arun Jaitley should step down as finance Minister while this probe is underway," he tweeted.
courtesy : indiatoday.in
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
