Former Union minister and Congress MP Veerappa Moily on Thursday alleged that the arrest of Nirav Modi, the fugitive jeweller, was a ploy by the Narendra Modi-led Union government to draw political mileage ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters during his visit to Siddaganga Mutt here, Moily said, "Nirav Modi, the prime accused in $2 billion Punjab National Bank scam, escaped to London due to the inaction of the BJP-led government at the Centre. The Union government didn't do much to arrest the fugitive economic offender. Now, with elections round the corner, the saffron party is out to derive the political mileage out of it (Nirav Modi's arrest)," the former Union minister said.
Published 21 March 2019, 16:59 IST