Sonia key beneficiary in “Oil-for-Food” scam: Dr Swamy

NEW DELHI: Janata Party president Dr Subramaniam Swamy said here on Wednesday that Congress President Sonia Gandhi benefited from Iraq’s “Oil-for-Food” program. “I have sent the detailed information in this regard to the CBI to register an FIR against Sonia, ” Dr Swamy said.

Speaking to media persons, Dr Swamy, a former Union Minister for Law and Company Affairs, charged that Sonia had already sought to influence the investigation into the beneficiaries of the “Oil-for-Food” program by the Enforcement Directorate. “She summoned the officials of the directorate to her 10, Janpath residence for a briefing. They were given directions by Sonia on further inquiry,” said Dr Swamy.

Adding to the discomfiture of the Congress president, Dr Swamy also announced that  “another member” of Gandhi’s family was involved in the scandal involving the sale of “humanitarian” goods to Iraq, which he would ”expose” soon.

Dr Swamy said if the CBI did not act on his complaint, he would approach the Delhi High Court with a public interest litigation  (PIL). The Janata Party leader alleged that Sonia and the Congress party had received 84 million dollars, which included 54 million dollars directly and 30 million through former External Affairs  Minister K Natwar Singh.

“Sonia Gandhi, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Congress  party, should bear prima facie liability and, thus, must resign  from the Chairmanship of the National Advisory Council, which  has the rank of a Cabinet Minister”, said Dr Swamy.

He said he had submitted the detailed information to the  CBI on December 1 and received an acknowledgement from the  agency. He had also informed the Directorate of Revenue  Intelligence (DRI) about it on December 8. 

Dr Swamy asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “to ask the income tax authorities to collect taxes on undisclosed incomes from Iraqi oil deals of the Congress party.”