We stand by Vasundhara, says Gadkari

Amid the raging row over former IPL chief Lalit Modi’s linkages with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari met her here on Monday and said the BJP and the Centre are strongly behind her as “accusations” against her have “no substance”.

Gadkari insisted that Raje had done no wrong and said such issues should not be brought into politics. “Vasundhara ji legally, logically, ethically is completely correct. There is no fault of hers anywhere,” the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister told reporters amid the row over the linkages of the CM and her son with Lalit Modi, who is facing and Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe for alleged money laundering in an IPL tournament.

‘Unaware of meet’ Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Monday he was not aware of the visit of Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria to London and his meeting with former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi last year. “I was not aware of Maria’s visit to London and his meeting with Lalit Modi. Such trips are cleared at the level of Home Minister. I wasn’t briefed about it,” said Chavan, who was the Chief Minister last year.

Current Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday asked Maria to provide “information” on his statement regarding his meeting with Lalit Modi.

More questions The Congress, meanwhile, has posed five more questions, taking the total number to 39, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Lalitgate. Downplaying the non-cooperation from other political parties on the issue, the Congress said on Monday Swaraj and Raje have violated at least five Acts, including the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh told reporters here that layers after layers of murky dealings establishing the undeniable nexus in the Lalitgate scandal continue to unravel by the hour.

“Clear-cut criminal offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, Passports Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Indian Penal Code are made out against both Swaraj and Raje. A deep rooted nexus to protect and help money-launderer and black money hoarder Lalit Modi, on part of entire BJP leadership with needle of suspicion pointing towards the Prime Minister himself, is out in the open for the entire nation to see and judge,” Azad said.

He accused the Prime Minister of remaining mum on the issue despite a week having passed of the ‘Lalitgate expose’.

The party asked the PM whether Swaraj and Raje are not guilty of offences, among others, under Section 13(1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

They also criticised Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for giving a clean chit to Lalit Modi and Raje at a time when the ED is investigating the transactions.