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Andhrawala Legend Username: Andhrawala Post Number: 66345 Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 152.51.56.1 Rating: N/A |
Diamond merchants Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi have not only siphoned off cash from banks but also duped hundreds of commoners - mostly in Gujarat - through jewellery investment schemes, the Congress claimed on Friday. The main Opposition party also accused the Gujarat government of ignoring complaints from commoners against Choksi's Gitanjali Gems for three years and had referred the matter to the crime branch in January only after the diamond merchants had fled the country. Addressing a press conference here, AICC spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil also accused the Gujarat government of promoting Gitanjali Gems as the only 'potential collaborator' at the Vibrant Gujarat summit last year. "Shockingly, instead of registering an FIR and arresting Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and others, Bhavnagar police kept the matter pending and finally referred it to the CID, Gandhinagar. This was done on January 26, 2018, after Nirav and Choksi had fled the country along with their families," he said. Gohil said Choksi's firm Gitanjali Gems had floated three jewellery investment schemes, involving monthly installments which could be redeemed for jewellery after the completion of the specified tenure. He said the firm also made the schemes attractive by offering to pay the final installment and make bonus payments of up to 50% of the invested amount to customers. "In a large number of cases, not only was the installment paid, but the jewellery was also not given nor the amount refunded," Gohil said, adding that a large number of aggrieved customers had filed complaints with the local police in September 2015. He said a number of people had given sworn affidavits to the police, four of which were circulated at the press conference at the AICC headquarters here. Gohil said the police took no action against Nirav or Choksi due to their alleged proximity to the top BJP leadership. He said Choksi had showcased a jewellery creation by BJP spokesperson Shaina N C at an event in August 2015, which was attended by Amruta Fadnavis, the wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Anar Patel, the daughter of the then Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel. Gohil claimed that Nirav and Choksi gave big advertisements in newspapers about the event to exhibit their clout and prevent any action on the complaints against them. No Signature |