Amit Shah targets Rahul Gandhi over defence contracts during UPA rule

New Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Saturday pushed back Congress chief Rahul Gandhis attacks on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a telling tweet Midas Touch no deal is too much When he has a say his business partners make hay Doesnt matter if India suffers on the way StealLikeRagaThe reference was to a media expose on how his former business partner at Backops Limited in the UK the same company that in its documents for incorporation had said that Rahul Gandhi was a British citizen had got offset defence contracts during UPA ruleThe former partner Ulrik Mcknight who was also coowner at BackOps acquired defence assets when the UPA was in power at the centre The media story claimed that Rahul Gandhi had a 65 per cent stake in Backops between 2003 and 2009 when it was wound upHowever after that McKnight acquired offset contracts from French defence supplier Naval Group against Scorpene submarines in 2011 He also went on and signed a contract with a Visakhapatnambased firm for the supply of critical parts for the Scorpene missile a report in Business Today saidAt a press conference on Saturday Rahul Gandhi responded to the charges and to Shahs remarks saying Please take any investigation you want and any action against me I have no problem as I have not done anything wrong But please also investigate RafaleThere is also a company named Backops Services Private Limited an Indian firm in which Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra served as codirector Rahul Gandhi owned 83 per cent shares in this Indian firm and had made a capital investment of Rs 250 lakh in the same This also folded up As for McKnight he won the offset contracts from the French company the Business Today report saidIn 2011 as part of his contract with the Naval Group McKnight had signed a contract with Visakhapatnambased Flash Forge Private Limited for the supply of critical parts for the Scorpene submarines being built at Mumbais Mazagon Dock Limited MDL the contract to build the submarines was worth Rs 20000 crore the Business Today report saidThe Indian firm Flash Forge also acquired a UKbased company named Optical Armour Limited in which Mcknight was given directorship He also had 49 per cent shares in itFor the record the Indian and European companies associated with Rahul Gandhi were dissolved before the Naval Group engaged in a contract with Flash Forge the Business Today report saidThe website of the Naval Group refers to a September 18 2018 event to mark 10 years in business for Naval Group in IndiaNaval Group in India was created in 2008 as a 100 per centowned subsidiary of the group to ensure a longlasting presence in the country thereby demonstrating the strong commitment to the Indian NavyThis partnership led to the emergence of an industrial ecosystem which fosters the indigenous manufacturing of submarines it saysCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates