“BJP running loot & escape scheme”: Congress attacks Modi govt over ABG Shipyard Rs 22,842 crore bank-fraud case

Chandigarh: Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday accused the BJP-led government at Centre of running a ''loot and escape'' flagship scheme for ''bank fraudsters'' and claimed that bank frauds of Rs 5.35 lakh crore in the last seven years have wrecked the banking system of the country.

"In the last seven years of the Narendra Modi government, 'bank frauds' of Rs 5.35 lakh crore have wrecked our banking system. The CBI has finally registered a case on February 7, against Gujarat Based ABG Shipyard owned by Rishi Kamlesh Agarwal and others for duping 28 banks, led by SBI. This is the biggest ever bank fraud of Rs 22,842 crore in the last 75 years. It is a gross mismanagement of the people's money," Surjewala said, at a press conference here.

The statement of the Congress leader comes days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Gujarat based ABG Shipyard Ltd, its Managing Director Rishi Kamlesh Agarwal and others for allegedly causing loss of Rs 22,842 crore to the consortium of banks including State Bank of India (SBI).

Attacking the ruling BJP, the Congress leader alleged that, "The Modi government is running a 'loot and escape' flagship scheme for bank fraudsters. The fraudsters have close connection and affection to the ruling establishment. Rishi Agarwal and others are its new 'gems' ". "Is the Modi government complicit? Who facilitated it?," he questioned. (UNI)