In the wake of the allegations against BJP chief Nitin Gadkari for using shell companies to fund his business and receiving investments from the contractors, Union Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily on Tuesday said that the issue will be looked into.
“We have not ordered anything. It is all coming in the newspapers. Since it has come in the public domain, we told our ministry to make some discreet inquiries to find out what exactly is the matter. Are there any violations of the Companies Act?” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh demanded a probe into the allegations of dubious funding of Gadkari-run firms. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohnan Singh, Digvijay requested him to ask the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to institute an inquiry by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).
“Gadkari has also said that he is open to a free and fair investigation. Being the national president of the BJP, it is in the fitness of things that his case is properly investigated and he gets a fair opportunity to prove his innocence and clear his name,” he said.
The Congress leader also provided copies of the TV reports on the issue as well the information gleaned from the official site of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, saying that, “a prima facie case does exist”.