New Delhi : The Congress on Friday said that after granting “immunity” to the Sahara Group, the government is trying to brush under the carpet the entire case against the Group in a “conspiratorial manner”.
The party also demanded that Prime Minister Modi come forward and respond to the graft charges against him, and a “neutral, independent and free and fair probe” be conducted that does not fall within the purview of the government.
Talking to the media, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the whole thing is being done “in a hurry as if the government has something to hide”.
“Shockingly, the entire case against Sahara Group is now being sought to be closed in a hush and conspiratorial manner at startling speed. This further indicates that the Modi government has ‘something to hide’ and is in an alarming hurry to brush the entire matter under the carpet,” said Surjewala.
The Congress also said that according to the documents seized by the Income Tax Department, cash payments were made nine times to “Modiji” over a period of six months, totaling Rs 40.1 crore.
Surjewala also said: “Sahara Group has been granted complete immunity from penalty and prosecution. Under Section 271 of the Income Tax Act, a penalty of 100 to 300 per cent would have been payable, besides prosecution under Section 276. Why has this immunity been granted to the group? –IANS