New Delhi, Nov. 19, 2015: BJP MP Mahesh Girri on Wednesday demanded a probe into the allegations levelled by party leader Subramanian Swamy that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi declared himself a British citizen to float a firm in that country.
In a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan Girri said,“It is necessary that people should get to know the reality in this issue. Request you to initiate an appropriate inquiry,”
“He is vice-president of Congress which ruled the country for six decades. The country has a right to know whether he is an Indian citizen or British,” Girri told The Indian Express.
Girri also said that he would raise the matter in Lok Sabha.
Swamy has alleged that Rahul claimed himself to be a British national before authorities there and demanded that he be stripped of Indian citizenship and Lok Sabha membership.
Circulating copies of documents extracted purportedly from the company law authorities of Britain, he had said that Gandhi had declared himself as a British national in documents related to a now-dissolved company. This, he said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a violation of constitutional provisions and demanded that action be taken against Rahul.
However Congress dismissed the allegations saying,"Rahul Gandhi has never held a non-Indian passport and never been on non-Indian citizenship."
In a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan Girri said,“It is necessary that people should get to know the reality in this issue. Request you to initiate an appropriate inquiry,”
“He is vice-president of Congress which ruled the country for six decades. The country has a right to know whether he is an Indian citizen or British,” Girri told The Indian Express.
Girri also said that he would raise the matter in Lok Sabha.
Swamy has alleged that Rahul claimed himself to be a British national before authorities there and demanded that he be stripped of Indian citizenship and Lok Sabha membership.
Circulating copies of documents extracted purportedly from the company law authorities of Britain, he had said that Gandhi had declared himself as a British national in documents related to a now-dissolved company. This, he said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a violation of constitutional provisions and demanded that action be taken against Rahul.
However Congress dismissed the allegations saying,"Rahul Gandhi has never held a non-Indian passport and never been on non-Indian citizenship."
http://www.indiatvnews.com/politics/national/bjp-mp-seeks-probe-into-rahul-gandhi-passport-33854.html
Sonia, Rahul commission agents, their wealth Rs 2.50 lakh crore: BJP's Subramanian Swamy
Rahul Gandhi's UK firm a shell firm for defence kickbacks, alleges Subramanian Swamy
NEW DELHI: Reiterating his claim that Rahul Gandhi is a British national, Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday alleged the firm 'run' by the Congress vice president was a shell company for defence kickbacks.
Swamy alleged that Gandhi had declared himself a British citizen in the registration papers of Backops, which was dissolved in 2009. "I have traced Backops as a shell firm to companies receiving kickbacks in Indian defence deals' illegal commission," Swamy tweeted, adding that he will soon hold a press conference to show papers that support his charge.
Swamy said he will ask the Enforcement Directorate to file a case against the Congress vice president for forex violation under FCRA, PMLA and FEMA.
I have traced Backops as a shell co. to companies receiving kick backs in Indian defence deals' illegal commission. Another press conference— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) November 18, 2015"Basic question is why an MP and a party VP needs to open a company in Britain and all in secret?," he asked.
Companies House, a UK government department, had last week confirmed that the 2005 and 2006 returns of Backops, a private firm set up in the UK by Rahul Gandhi in 2003, showed his nationality as British but said it "could very well be an error made by whoever submitted the information".
One crime has been admitted by Congi: Buddhu did set up a company in UK. So a FIR is to be registered under FCRA, PMLA, FEMA. I will ask ED.
- The Congress denied the allegation about Gandhi's nationality saying that from the day he was born, he had never held citizenship of any country other than India, "nor has he represented as such".
- AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "You have the government, you have the entire machinery and you should be able to put a single proof and not these straws in the winds by a person like Swamy. If you are the government, you should have produced some material rather than relying on Swamy's allegations which are false."
Rahul Gandhi's UK firm a shell company to receive defence kickbacks: Subramanian Swamy
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 18, 2015 - 09:27
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Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In yet another move to back his claims that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is a 'British national' and had set up a company called 'Backops' in the United Kingdom, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy will hold a press conference on to put forward his arguments.
In a tweet this morning, Swamy alleged: “I have traced Backops as a shell co to companies receiving kick backs in Indian defence deals' illegal commission. Another press conference.”
One crime has been admitted by Congi: Buddhu did set up a company in UK. So a FIR is to be registered under FCRA, PMLA, FEMA. I will ask ED.
I have traced Backops as a shell co. to companies receiving kick backs in Indian defence deals' illegal commission. Another press conference
In his letter to Mahajan, the BJP leader said Gandhi, as a Lok Sabha member, has violated the ethics code to be observed by MPs and urged her to seek explanation from him.
After that if she felt that a prima case existed, she may refer the matter to the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha to decide whether he can continue as MP, Swamy said adding that he should be disqualified because he was "guilty of gross violation" of ethics.
Swamy, who yesterday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had released documents purportedly showing that Gandhi had claimed himself to be a British national before the company law authorities there for setting up a company. He had demanded that Gandhi be stripped of Indian citizenship and Lok Sabha membership.
Congress has dismissed as "entirely false" BJP leader Swamy's allegation that Gandhi has claimed himself to be a British national before the authorities there.
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First Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2015 - 09:17
RAHUL GANDHI'S UK FIRM A SHELL FIRM FOR DEFENCE KICKBACKS, ALLEGES SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY
NEW DELHI: Reiterating his claim that Rahul Gandhi is a British national, Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday alleged the firm 'run' by the Congress vice president was a shell company for defence kickbacks.
Swamy alleged that Gandhi had declared himself a British citizen in the registration papers of Backops, which was dissolved in 2009. "I have traced Backops as a shell firm to companies receiving kickbacks in Indian defence deals' illegal commission," Swamy tweeted, adding that he will soon hold a press conference to show papers that support his charge.
Swamy said he will ask the Enforcement Directorate to file a case against the Congress vice president for forex violation under FCRA, PMLA and FEMA.
"Basic question is why an MP and a party VP needs to open a company in Britain and all in secret?," he asked.
Companies House, a UK government department, had last week confirmed that the 2005 and 2006 returns of Backops, a private firm set up in the UK by Rahul Gandhi in 2003, showed his nationality as British but said it "could very well be an error made by whoever submitted the information".
The Congress denied the allegation about Gandhi's nationality saying that from the day he was born, he had never held citizenship of any country other than India, "nor has he represented as such".
AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "You have the government, you have the entire machinery and you should be able to put a single proof and not these straws in the winds by a person like Swamy. If you are the government, you should have produced some material rather than relying on Swamy's allegations which are false."
Swamy has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, urging her to refer the matter of Rahul's alleged violation of Constitution and ethical code on citizenship to the Ethics Committee and disqualify him as MP if he is guilty.
He has demanded that Gandhi be stripped of Indian citizenship and Lok Sabha membership.
Summary of how Rahul Gandhi may have created a web of deceit to bag one of India’s biggest Defence Contracts:
- Rahul Gandhi and Ulrik R McKnight were Directors of Backops, which they closed in 2009.
- DCNS of France, the manufacturer of Scorpene submarines, announces a deal with Flash Forge to supply critical parts as part of a Rs. 20,000 crore ($4.5 billion) deal to supply 6 submarines in India, some time in June 2011.
- Ulrik McKnight is appointed as a Director in Optimal Armour Limited (OAL) on June 6, 2012. He states in this form that his Nationality is United States of America and that he resides there.
- Ulrik McKnight becomes a Director in Composite Resin Developments (CRDL)Limited on Feb 19, 2013. He states that he usually resides in the US and enters his Nationality as Swedish.
- Two Indian nationals, Gautam Makker and Sunil Menon who are Directors in the Indian company Flash Forge Pvt. Limited are also appointed as Directors in Optimal Armour and Composite Resin Developments at about the same time as McKnight.
- Flash Forge acquires a majority stake in Composite Resin on December 20 2013 and in Optimal Armour on March 23, 2012.
The first question that springs up in one’s mind is how Flash Forge’s contract with DCNS is related to its majority stake in 2 British registered companies. A good question indeed – Usually one of the ways bribery happens (and we are not suggesting it did) is that you over-invoice your imports and under-invoice your exports and pocket the difference. In case of muli-national corporations, this difference has to be routed through a corporate entity, who then will use the company’s name to transfer it to tax havens. Is this what happened? That is for the Government of India to find out.
The next question that maybe asked is how Rahul Gandhi is involved in all of this. Before we try to explain this, below are the corporate filings for CRDL and OAL. Note that CRDL was originally incorporated as Millennium Valves Limited.
“Shells are the No. 1 vehicle for laundering illicit money and criminal proceeds.”-Lanny A. Breuer,
Asst. U.S. Attorney General, 2012
Asst. U.S. Attorney General, 2012
How Do Shell Companies Work?
At first glance, it might seem pretty easy to find information about the individuals in control of a company. Many companies list names and phone numbers for its executives, staff, or board of directors on their website or in official documents, because they want customers to see the company as open and accountable. But the people running a phantom firm don’t want to be found and instead operate in the shadows—they don’t have websites and create as short of a paper trail as possible.
The forms filled out when a company is created are often the only public proof of a phantom firm’s existence, and they rarely ask for enough information to track down the individuals controlling it. Even where they do, this information can be misleading. Companies can list “nominee” shareholders or board members with no visible relation to the actual owner—for instance, a lawyer or a distant relative, or people that can be hired specifically to allow their names to fill in the blanks on these forms. They can also list other anonymous companies or trusts in order to make it more difficult to track down the actual owner. The true owners or people in control of the company are often known to no one in the outside world other than—possibly—a law firm or an incorporation agent.
Once created, anonymous shell companies do little or no actual business. Instead, they often exist and function entirely on paper, opening bank accounts and owning assets without ever revealing the name of the true person benefiting from its conduct, whether licit or illicit.
The forms filled out when a company is created are often the only public proof of a phantom firm’s existence, and they rarely ask for enough information to track down the individuals controlling it. Even where they do, this information can be misleading. Companies can list “nominee” shareholders or board members with no visible relation to the actual owner—for instance, a lawyer or a distant relative, or people that can be hired specifically to allow their names to fill in the blanks on these forms. They can also list other anonymous companies or trusts in order to make it more difficult to track down the actual owner. The true owners or people in control of the company are often known to no one in the outside world other than—possibly—a law firm or an incorporation agent.
Once created, anonymous shell companies do little or no actual business. Instead, they often exist and function entirely on paper, opening bank accounts and owning assets without ever revealing the name of the true person benefiting from its conduct, whether licit or illicit.
Unanswered Questions
- Why was Ulrik R McKnight appointed as a Director in CRDL and OAL, that too after the deal was signed?
- OAL has been in business for 30 years and its growth, given its high sounding name can only be termed as extremely modest.CRDL was incorporated in 2007 with a share capital of £1000 and its annual returns are also very small. What was the reason for Flash Forge Private Limited to acquire CRDL and OAL, when there appear to be no assets of value?
- What is the reason for Ulrik R McKnight to claim Swedish nationality in one filing and U S in the other?
Will the Government of India, move quickly to get to the bottom of this saga? This is just the beginning. Stay on, this ride is going to be exciting!
How many clerical errors can you make declaring you're British?Even dissolution papers say he's British. #Fishy
Rupa Subramanya 
Subramanian Swamy I have traced Backops as a shell co. to companies receiving kick backs in Indian defence deals' illegal commission. Another press conference
Basic question is why an MP & a party VP needs to open a company in Britain and have a residence in most expensive area and all in secret?