Doval's son Shaurya demands evidence on 'conflict of interest'

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's son Shaurya Doval said on Saturday that news portal The Wire  should substantiate its charges that India Foundation, of which he is a director, was involved in a case of conflict either in a court of law or before the people. He was talking to a private news channel.

Opening up on the controversy for the first time, Shaurya  said, "The accusations about our foundation... in political debates people can say anything what they want. That's democracy, but the evidence of that gets proved in the court. All those who make accusations must logically pursue them in the court of law and substantiate it or if that's not the way... that if you are fighting a perception battle, then take it out to the people and prove to the people the perception."

The Wire had reported that India Foundation, which has four senior Union ministers on its board as directors, was using its proximity with the government for lobbying.

To a query whether the opposition is justified in raising conflict of interest issues in the case of Amit Shah's son Jay or in his case, since the BJP had similarly raked up Robert Vadra issue, Shaurya argued that the BJP has taken Jay's case to the court.

"The BJP took the matters - even in the case of Jay Shah - it took it to the court of law. It said okay we filed a defamation (suit), let's argue it in the court of law, let's not fight only a perception battle, but also fight it in the court of law. So as far as the BJP is concerned, it has no problem in going to take all these cases of corruption and the opposition rightly should. If they believe that the BJP is corrupt, they should take it to the court of law, the courts are there for this matter," he said.

On being asked whether he will take the legal recourse to sort out the matter, he evaded a direct reply. "(The) point that I am trying to make is that whatever we do in the court of law is one way of proving it and those who are convicted must bear the punishment under the law," he said.