Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday attacked Congress over a document via way of means of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that ostensibly stated a cash laundering probe related to Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor as a case take a look at in using `cultural items as a automobile to switch or cover illicit proceeds`. The FATF document mentions the case of Yes Bank founder, charting the info of incorrect way taken to serve one`s very own pastimes via way of means of shopping for artwork of common value.
Without naming anyone, the case take a look at cited that a CEO of an Indian financial institution bought mediocre artwork from politicians and in flip paid massive kickbacks thru banking channels, projecting them as real portions of artwork. The pinnacle financial institution executive “bought a bit of artwork from the near relative of a member of the ruling political birthday birthday celebration at that point for USD 264 000.”
“However, the research found out that this turned into an over-valuation, and that the rate paid turned into now no longer for artwork, however as an alternative turned into a bribe to persuade the awarding of the celebrated Indian award `Padma Bhushan` for himself,” it stated. The FATF document titled ‘Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing withinside the Art and Antiquities Market’ turned into posted on February 27, 2023.
Reacting sharply to the document, Union minister Anurag Thakur stated, “Till now the media and those used to talk about the Financial Action Task Force handiest for the reality that whether or not Pakistan will continue to be withinside the gray listing or will move even further. Now the equal FATF is being mentioned once more in context of an influential own circle of relatives of the country.”
He brought, “One after another, new fashions of Congress’s corruption are coming to the fore. Sometimes it’s miles National Herald, now and again Vadra land scam, now and again a few another. Now FATF has posted a case take a look at that how a former Union Minister withinside the UPA authorities pressurised an man or woman in shopping for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s common portray in Rs. 2 crore.”
“It is an issue of outstanding disgrace that the tale of corruption of the Gandhi own circle of relatives is made right into a case take a look at and being informed to the complete world, that too via way of means of an company that works to forestall terror financing.” Anurag Thakur stated.
Rana Kapoor had claimed in a announcement to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that he turned into driven to shop for a MF Husain portray from Congress chief Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and that he turned into promised one of the country`s pinnacle civilian awards in return.
The announcement, recorded via way of means of ED on March nine and 10, 2020, brought that the sale turned into facilitated via way of means of senior Congress chief Murli Deora and some weeks later, senior Congress chief, the overdue Ahmed Patel, had preferred his “exact deed” and knowledgeable him that he (Kapoor) might be “duly considered” for a chief civilian honour, and “likely a few non-political banking and finance assignments”.
Kapoor’s announcement turned into a part of a supplementary fee sheet filed via way of means of ED to the unique Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) courtroom docket in Mumbai in April 2022. To be sure, each Deora and Patel have exceeded on and there’s no manner of verifying Kapoor`s announcement. Kapoor did now no longer win any principal civilian honour. The BJP chief stated Priyanka Gandhi ought to come easy at the identification of “Mr A” cited withinside the FATF document.
“Was Padma Bhushan being given in alternate for cash and portray? Is this a corruption version of the Congress? How many different country wide honours have you ever offered for cash?” Thakur requested the competition birthday birthday celebration.