‘Letter drafted by PMO’: Moitra dismisses bizman’s allegations

NT Bureau, Agencies

New Delhi: TMC MP Mahua Moitra has raised questions over the credibility of Hiranandani Group CEO Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit, alleging that it was "drafted by the PMO" and he was forced to sign it after being "threatened" with "total shut down" of his family's businesses.

The PM's Office (PMO) held a "proverbial gun" to Darshan and his father's heads and gave them 20 minutes to sign this "letter", Mahua claimed in a statement.

Her statement came after Hiranandani, who allegedly paid Moitra to raise questions in Parliament about the Adani Group, claimed in the affidavit that the TMC leader targeted billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani to "malign and embarrass" PM Modi.

He alleged that she provided him with her Parliament login and password to ask questions targeting Adani after the state-owned Indian Oil Corporation booked capacity at the Gujaratbased conglomerate's Dhamra LNG import facility in Odisha and not at his firm's planned facility.

Moitra said the draft of the "letter" issued by Hiranandani was "sent by the PMO.

"Three days ago (16.10.2023), the Hiranandani Group put out an release stating that all charges were baseless. Today (19.10.2023), an 'approver affidavit' has been leaked to the press. This 'affidavit' is on a white piece of paper with no letterhead and there is no official origin aside from a press leak,'' she said.