The Gandhi family trusts: the Interior Ministry has formed an inter-ministerial committee
New Delhi:
Three Gandhi family-related trusts will be investigated for alleged wrongdoing in financial transactions, the center announced today. The Interior Ministry has formed an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate investigations into the alleged violation of income tax and foreign donation rules by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, the Ministry spokesperson tweeted this morning.
Investigations will focus on the alleged violation of laws such as the Money Laundering Prevention Law (PMLA), the Income Tax Law, the Foreign Contributions Law (regulation) by family trusts. Gandhi said a tweet from the Interior Ministry.
The special director of the Law Enforcement Branch will head the committee, the interior ministry said.
The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was created in June 1991 and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust in 2002; both are chaired by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Congress has denied any wrongdoing and calls the investigation “political vendetta”.
Last month, the ruling BJP accused Congress of “shameless fraud”, alleging that when in power, the Manmohan Singh government donated funds from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
“PMNRF, intended to help people in distress, donated to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in the UPA years. Worry about transparency,” said BJP president JP Nadda.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi is head of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the board of directors includes Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, P Chidambaram and Manmohan Singh.
The BJP also alleged that in his 1991 budget speech as Minister of Finance, Manmohan Singh allocated 100 crore rupees to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
“1991 Budget Presentation Document. Page 16, paragraph 57. Manmohan Singh donated 100 crores to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, 20 crores a year for five years,” said a BJP statement.
Congress has denied the allegations, calling them an attempt to divert government attention from handling the Chinese crisis.
