Will meet you in court: Irani hits back at Congress for allegations against daughter

Congress alleged a scam in the issue of a liquor licence to a bar allegedly run by Irani's daughter

A war of words erupted in Goa as Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani threatened to go to court when state Congress alleged that her daughter, Zoish, was running an illegal bar in North Goa.

Congress alleged a scam in the issue of a liquor licence to the bar and restaurant, claiming that the licence had been renewed in the name of a deceased person. Addressing a press conference in Panaji, state unit president Amit Patkar claimed that the liquor licence was renewed in favour of a Mumbai-resident Anthony D'Gama in June 2022, who expired in May last year.

Congress demanded that Irani resign as minister in wake of the alleged impropriety. The minister hit back, saying that she was being politically victimised by the Congress party leadership, threatening to go to court for legal recourse. She asserted her 18-year-old daughter is a first-year college student and does not run any bar.

Also read: My daughter being targeted for my stand on 'loot' by Sonia, Rahul Gandhi: Smriti Irani

"The person who applied for the liquor licence renewal died on May 15, 2021. There is a valid death certificate to prove it. On June 22, 2022, his ghost came and signed the documents for renewal of the licence. She should come clear about this. It is a big fraud," Patkar alleged. The restaurant 'Silly Souls' is located in the upmarket Assagao village in North Goa also informally to as the Beverly hills of Goa.

After the information was dug out by a local Right to Information Activist earlier this week, the state Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad also issued a show cause notice to the restaurant over the issue.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Irani denied allegations, stating that she would meet her accusers "in the court of law and the court of people".

"My daughter's fault is that her mother holds a press conference on the loot of Rs 5,000 cr by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Her fault is that her mother fought against Rahul Gandhi in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls," the MP said.

Kirat Nagra, Zoish Irani's lawyer, also issued a statement late Saturday, claiming she did not operate or own the Goa restaurant and that she has not been issued any show cause notice by any government agency.

Nagra also maintained that the accusations levelled against Zoish were "erroneous, frivolous, malicious and defamatory" and were being levelled by "various vested quarters trying to settle political scores with our client's mother, the renowned politician Smriti Irani each of which are predicated on blatant falsities".