PM Modi worked as middleman for ‘friend’ Double A, Cong alleges referring to French news report
Swati Mathur | TNN | Updated: Apr 13, 2019, 15:47 ISTHighlights
- According to the report, Anil Ambani's company "Reliance Atlantic Flag France" registered in France had a 60 mn euros tax liability between 2007 to 2010
- Reliance offered to pay 7.6 mn euros as settlement, but French tax authorities turned down the offer
- Six months after Modi's Rafale announcement, the French tax authorities accepted the settlement offer
The Congress has hinted that France waived taxes owed by Anil Ambani's company at the behest of PM ModiNEW DELHI: Congress on Saturday raked up “startling revelations” made by French newspaper Le Monde, in which it says French authorities waived taxes worth 143.7 million euros — over Rs 1000 crore— for Anil Ambani's France-based company just a few months after PM Modi announced plans to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault.
Referring to the findings of the news report as a clear indication that there were “layers of corruption” in the Rafale deal negotiated by PM Modi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called the Anil Ambani’s company a “zero sum choice” which benefited and flourished as a result of “Modi Kripa”.
Turning the BJP’s campaign slogan into a jibe, Surjewala also said corruption in the multi-crore deal was made possible due to Modi’s patronage. “Modi hai to mumkin hai,” he said.
According to the Le Monde report, Anil Ambani has a telecom company registered in France by the name of "Reliance Atlantic Flag France", which was investigated by French tax authorities and found liable to pay 60 million euros in taxes for the period 2007 to 2010.
After the tax demand was raised by the French authorities, Reliance offered to pay 7.6 million euros as settlement, an offer that was turned down by the French tax authorities. The French then conducted another investigation for the period 2010 to 2012 and raised an additional demand for 91 million euros in taxes.
Meanwhile in April 2015, PM Modi announced plans to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault. By then, the total amount owed by Reliance Atlantic Flag France (RAFF) to the French state in taxes was breaching 151 million euro levels.
In a U-turn by the French authorities, six months after Modi's Rafale announcement, the French tax authorities accepted 7.3 million euros from RAFF as a settlement, instead of the much bigger sum of 151 million euros.
On this basis, the Congress has alleged that between February and October 2015, while the French were negotiating the Rafale contract with India, Anil Ambani enjoyed a tax waiver of 143.7 million euros from the French state, clearly pointing to Ambani being favoured by the French authorities, allegedly at the behest of PM Modi.
“Layers of corruption in the Rafale deal are getting unveiled. We want to ask the question whether PM Modi working as a middleman for his friend Double A,” Surjewala said, referring to Anil Ambani.
Referring to the findings of the news report as a clear indication that there were “layers of corruption” in the Rafale deal negotiated by PM Modi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called the Anil Ambani’s company a “zero sum choice” which benefited and flourished as a result of “Modi Kripa”.
Turning the BJP’s campaign slogan into a jibe, Surjewala also said corruption in the multi-crore deal was made possible due to Modi’s patronage. “Modi hai to mumkin hai,” he said.
According to the Le Monde report, Anil Ambani has a telecom company registered in France by the name of "Reliance Atlantic Flag France", which was investigated by French tax authorities and found liable to pay 60 million euros in taxes for the period 2007 to 2010.
After the tax demand was raised by the French authorities, Reliance offered to pay 7.6 million euros as settlement, an offer that was turned down by the French tax authorities. The French then conducted another investigation for the period 2010 to 2012 and raised an additional demand for 91 million euros in taxes.
Meanwhile in April 2015, PM Modi announced plans to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault. By then, the total amount owed by Reliance Atlantic Flag France (RAFF) to the French state in taxes was breaching 151 million euro levels.
In a U-turn by the French authorities, six months after Modi's Rafale announcement, the French tax authorities accepted 7.3 million euros from RAFF as a settlement, instead of the much bigger sum of 151 million euros.
On this basis, the Congress has alleged that between February and October 2015, while the French were negotiating the Rafale contract with India, Anil Ambani enjoyed a tax waiver of 143.7 million euros from the French state, clearly pointing to Ambani being favoured by the French authorities, allegedly at the behest of PM Modi.
“Layers of corruption in the Rafale deal are getting unveiled. We want to ask the question whether PM Modi working as a middleman for his friend Double A,” Surjewala said, referring to Anil Ambani.
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