NEW DELHI: The government and the ruling BJP stood firmly with Union civil aviation minister Jayant Sinha claiming that the minister was not involved in any wrongdoing abroad as disclosed by the "Paradise Papers".
Paying no heed to Congress seeking the minister's resignation, the BJP brass assigned Sinha to lead the "Anti-Black Money Day" rally in Kolkata on November 8, the first anniversary of demonetisation. The day has been billed by the ruling camp as a war against black money in the country. BJP president Amit Shah on Monday finalised the names of ministers and senior party functionaries fanning out across the country on November 8.
"Sinha has already clarified that he has not indulged in any wrongdoing and he is right. Moreover, competent agencies have already been authorised to look into the revelations," a senior party leader said, even as the party refrained from issuing official statement.
Sinha said there was no wrong-doing and all details had been shared with the authorities when he joined politics in 2014.
"These were bona fide and legal transactions undertaken on behalf of highly reputed world-leading organisations in my fiduciary role as Partner at Omidyar Network and its designated representative on the D.Light Board. All these transactions have been fully disclosed to relevant authorities through all necessary filings as required," Sinha tweeted soon after the story broke out.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP R K Sinha declined to respond to queries from reporters on Paradise Papers and wrote in a piece of paper that he was observing "maunvrat" ( period of silence) for the past seven days.
On the documents showing his purported links to SIA Asia Pacific Holdings and SIS International Holdings, Sinha had denied any direct interest in these companies except to the extent of his shareholding in Security and Intelligence Services (India) Limited. He had also said all disclosures required to be made in income tax returns had been made.
The party was convinced after Sinha shared his views explaining that the transactions were not his personal but for the company he was working with and these were bona fide and legal transactions.
Even Amitabh Bachchan, whose name has figured in the Paradise Papers and was also mentioned in the Panama Papers, will continue endorsing government schemes such as Swacch Bharat as the brand ambassador.
Sinha has clarified that after leaving Omidyar Network, he was asked to continue on the D.Light Board as an Independent Director. "On joining the Union Council of Ministers, I immediately resigned from the D.Light Board and severed my involvement with the company. It is crucial to note that these transactions were done for D.Light as an Omidyar representative, and not for any personal purpose."
The government has said a multi-agency group (MAG) probing the Panama Papers leak will look into the 'Paradise Papers' on financial holdings abroad that lists 714 Indian individuals and entities.
Sources said the MAG, set up in April last year to investigate the legality of money stashed in offshore entities by Indians named in the Panama Papers, would probe the latest disclosure made by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
The MAG comprises officials from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Financial Intelligence Unit and RBI among a few others.
Paying no heed to Congress seeking the minister's resignation, the BJP brass assigned Sinha to lead the "Anti-Black Money Day" rally in Kolkata on November 8, the first anniversary of demonetisation. The day has been billed by the ruling camp as a war against black money in the country. BJP president Amit Shah on Monday finalised the names of ministers and senior party functionaries fanning out across the country on November 8.
"Sinha has already clarified that he has not indulged in any wrongdoing and he is right. Moreover, competent agencies have already been authorised to look into the revelations," a senior party leader said, even as the party refrained from issuing official statement.
Sinha said there was no wrong-doing and all details had been shared with the authorities when he joined politics in 2014.
"These were bona fide and legal transactions undertaken on behalf of highly reputed world-leading organisations in my fiduciary role as Partner at Omidyar Network and its designated representative on the D.Light Board. All these transactions have been fully disclosed to relevant authorities through all necessary filings as required," Sinha tweeted soon after the story broke out.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP R K Sinha declined to respond to queries from reporters on Paradise Papers and wrote in a piece of paper that he was observing "maunvrat" ( period of silence) for the past seven days.
On the documents showing his purported links to SIA Asia Pacific Holdings and SIS International Holdings, Sinha had denied any direct interest in these companies except to the extent of his shareholding in Security and Intelligence Services (India) Limited. He had also said all disclosures required to be made in income tax returns had been made.
The party was convinced after Sinha shared his views explaining that the transactions were not his personal but for the company he was working with and these were bona fide and legal transactions.
Even Amitabh Bachchan, whose name has figured in the Paradise Papers and was also mentioned in the Panama Papers, will continue endorsing government schemes such as Swacch Bharat as the brand ambassador.
Sinha has clarified that after leaving Omidyar Network, he was asked to continue on the D.Light Board as an Independent Director. "On joining the Union Council of Ministers, I immediately resigned from the D.Light Board and severed my involvement with the company. It is crucial to note that these transactions were done for D.Light as an Omidyar representative, and not for any personal purpose."
The government has said a multi-agency group (MAG) probing the Panama Papers leak will look into the 'Paradise Papers' on financial holdings abroad that lists 714 Indian individuals and entities.
Sources said the MAG, set up in April last year to investigate the legality of money stashed in offshore entities by Indians named in the Panama Papers, would probe the latest disclosure made by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
The MAG comprises officials from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Financial Intelligence Unit and RBI among a few others.
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