Act against BJP prez for hiding liabilities:Cong

A Congress delegation on Monday approached the Election Commission seeking launch of criminal proceedings against BJP president Amit Shah for non-disclosure of bank liabilities in the affidavit filed by him during the Rajya Sabha election last year.

Senior Congress leaders Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Jairam Ramesh and Vivek Tankha met Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat with a complaint against the “deliberate, corrupt and wilful non-disclosure of liabilities by Shah."

Congress leaders alleged that Shah had already mortgaged two of his properties in 2016 to Kalupur Commercial Cooperative Bank for his son Jay Shah's business venture Kusum Finserve LLP.

“The properties were mortgaged in lieu of a large and substantial loan of Rs 25 crores extended by the bank to his son's company,” the Congress leaders said in a memorandum submitted to the CEC.

Sibal told reporters that non-disclosure of liabilities amounted violation of Section 125(A) of the Representation of Peoples' Act which attracts which attracts up to six months' imprisonment, and/or fine.

“The Election Commission can launch criminal proceedings. Even we can do it, but we want the EC to do the needful as we do not want to get into a political debate,” he said.

The Congress said EC should also communicate with the Rajya Sabha chairman to determine what further penalties may be imposed on the BJP chief for breach of privilege.

“The Rajya Sabha and its chairman can and should take cognizance of this and it can lead to his suspension and disqualification,” Singhvi said.

the Congress had raised the issue last week following which BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had dismissed the charges as “bogus and fake”.

“I don't have to say anything on that. The party has already responded to the allegations. It does not matter if they go to the EC or somewhere else,” Union Law Minister and BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.