The Centre’s move follows recent allegations launched by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the Congress and the Gandhi family claiming that China had funded the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. (File Photo: IANS)
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has set up a panel to coordinate tax violation and money laundering investigations against three Gandhi family trusts including the controversial Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF).
The ministry on Wednesday informed that it has constituted a inter-ministerial committee to coordinate investigations into violation of various legal provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Income Tax Act and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
Special Director of the Enforcement Directorate will head the committee.
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The Centre’s move follows recent allegations launched by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the Congress and the Gandhi family claiming that China had funded the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
A startling revelation came to light late June that the government of the Peoples Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy in India have been funding the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) led by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi is the Chairperson of RGF, and its board includes former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, among others.
As per reports, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a donation from the government of People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy as two separate donors. These were listed as donors in the report in the list of general donors.
According to some estimates, the donation was to the tune of $2 million between 2004 and 2006 and $9 million between 2006 and 2013.
Following the reports, the BJP was quick to corner the Congress.
BJP accused Congress interim Chief Sonia Gandhi of turning the Prime Minister National Relief Fund during the UPA rule in to a family run foundation.
In counter attack, the Congress has alleged that PM-CARES fund also received donations from Chinese firms.
Meanwhile, a petition has also been filed before the Supreme Court to seek a probe into the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Congress and the Communist Party of China signed in 2008.
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