Allegations against Sushma baseless: Jaitley
New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Allegations against External Affairs Minster Sushma Swaraj on the Lalit Modi issue are “baseless” and the government has a “collective responsibility” for all decisions taken, Finance Minster Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday.
“Our ministers are capable of taking decisions and all decisions are collective responsibility of the government,” he said at a press conference here jointly addressed with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
“Let me clarify, all allegations are baseless. The minister and the party chief (Amit Shah) have given statements… whatever she did she did with good intentions – she acted bona fide. The whole government and party have the same view on this,” he said.
The finance minister also confirmed that notices have been issued against former IPL chairman Lalit Modi in 15 out of 16 cases.
“ED has directed several cases against person concerned… show cause notice have been issued in a number of them. These notices are quasi-judicial function of ED,” he said.
Jaitley clarified on the blue corner notice on Lalit Modi, saying “there is confusion about shades of blue”.
“Department of revenue intelligence had issued a light blue corner notice on the request of enforcement directorate to Lalit Modi in 2010 and that notice still stands,” he added.
Sushma Swaraj has been in controversy for helping out the controversial former IPL chief.
The external affairs minister has said she helped Lalit Modi, who has been staying in London since 2010 following allegations of financial impropriety, after he approached her last July, saying his wife was suffering from cancer and was to undergo surgery in Portugal.
Courtesy: IANS
