New Delhi, Apr 13 : Reacting to fresh revelations on the Rafale deal that the France government waived taxes worth 143.7 million euros owed by a local subsidiary of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Global Comm Limited in 2015, around the same time when India was negotiating the aircraft deal, the Congress on Saturday said that it was now clear that Prime Minister narendra modi acted as the middleman of industrialist Anil Ambani in the deal,
Talking to reporters here, AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said,”French newspaper Le Monde has reported that the France government waived taxes worth 143.7 million euros owed by a local subsidiary of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Global Comm Limited in 2015, around the same time when India was negotiating the Rafale aircraft deal. Reliance Atlantic Flag France was investigated by French tax authorities and found liable to pay 60 million euros in taxes for the period 2007 to 2010. After another investigation for the period 2010 to 2012, they were asked for an additional tax demand of 91 million euros in taxes. Thus the total tax liability came to 151 Million euros.
As against this, Reliance Atlantic Flag France of Anil Ambani wanted to settle it for a mere 7.6 million euros, which was rejected by the French. However, after PM Modi, on April 10, 2015, announced purchase of 36 Rafalefighter jets, off the shelf, the French suddenly turned benevolent and canceled a tax recovery of of 143.7 million euros of Reliance Atlantic Flag France and settled for 7.6 Million Euros, as per the sensational and shocking revelation . It is now clear that PM acted as a middleman of Anil Ambani in the deal.”
Anil Ambani’s company is the major offset partner of the Dassault Aviation, maker of Rafale fighter aircraft.
The Congress spokesperson alleged that the money trail in the deal is being exposed gradually.
“On March 23, 2015 AA (Anil Ambani) visited Paris and met defence officials and others in the French Defence Ministry. Till then, the contract of making 128 Rafale fighter jets was with the Defence PSU HAL,
48 hours before PM Modi’s visit to Paris, India’s Foreign Secretary denied that purchase of any aircrafts would be even considered at PM level visit. He infact said that negotiations between HAL and Rafale are underway. On April 10, 2015, PM Modi unilaterally announced ‘off the shelf’ purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts in a 7.89 Billion Euros deal, affectively shelving the 126 Rafale aircraft with Transfer of Technology negotiated by UPA. On September 21 2018- French President, Mr Francois Hollande claimed that Reliance was offered as ‘Offset Partner’ by India i.e PM Modi, and they had ‘no choice’ but to accept it,”Mr Surjewala said.
“As we all know till March 13, 2014 the Dassault Aviation had a workshare agreement with the HAL worth of Rs 30,000 crore,” he added.
He also questioned the Dassault Aviation for investing Rs 284 crore in Anil Ambani’s company and said, “In 2017-18, the DA invested Rs 284 crore in Anil Ambani’s zero sum company which had no profit and business. . The company’s name is Reliance Airport Developer Limited (RADL) and it was investing at a time when the Indian government was making advance payment.
Why would Daasualt Aviation buy a share of Rs 10 at Rs 1000-1100? It is a case of money trail. Has the money trial come out in public in Rafale deal? Has PM Modi worked as an agent of his friend Anil Ambani?”
Agencies
