'Nirav Modi cheated banks during UPA era... many brought back, others will follow': BJP reacts after PNB scam accused spotted

As The Telegraph’s report on fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi being spotted in London unleashed a storm of allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s inability to extradite him to India, the party reacted with a series of tweets blaming the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. Modi fled India last year, days before it emerged that the companies linked to the jeweller and his relatives received credit worth close to Rs 14,000-crore between 2011 and 2017 using false guarantees supplied by two officials of the Punjab National Bank. The fraud engineered by him is probably the country’s largest ever bank fraud. In late June last year, the Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against him. The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said a request for his extradition is lying with the British government. The BJP aimed to turn the narrative of blame on the Nirav Modi case, and instead said it was under the Narendra Modi government that the fraud was unveiled. This implicitly alleges that the Congress was privy to the ongoing scam but did nothing to bring it to the fore.

Nirav Modi’s fraud to cheat the banks started in 2011 when UPA government was in power. It was detected and exposed during the Modi govt.

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 9, 2019

The BJP also cited efforts taken by the current government in the light of the scam, including Friday’s demolition of a sprawling mansion belonging to him, at Raigad near Mumbai.

The offender was declared a fugitive, assets seized, illegal house blown up, businesses closed. Criminal cases filed, tax evasion, PMLA & Criminal fraud actions being pursued by our agencies.

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 9, 2019

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Placing the blame squarely on the UPA, the BJP struck a tone of having done the right thing.

Many of these who cheated India during the UPA govt have been brought back and are in custody. Others will follow. They are living the life of fugitives and refugees.

None who cheats India can get away under the Modi government.

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 9, 2019

Finally, amidst the clamour of discrepancy in the way India has pursued the extradition of another economic offender Vijay Mallya, versus how it has allowed the British government to delay sending Nirav Modi back, the BJP sought to remind that it was the Congress government that had in fact given Mallya a second loan.

When was the facility of second restructuring of bank loans given to Mallya? under UPA government.
“Ulta Chor Chowkidar Ko Dante.”

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 9, 2019

The BJP’s main opposition party, Congress, was one of the first to react to reports of Nirav Modi walking free and blamed the BJP government for the fugitive walking free.