Rahul Gandhi

An independent candidate for Lok Sabha elections named Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from contesting polls for failing to lodge account of election expenses. Gandhi, who’s name figures as ‘Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma’ in an Election Commission list of persons, had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent and had received 2196 votes from the Wayanad seat in Kerala – a constituency from where ex-Congress MP Rahul Rajiv Gandhi had won with over seven lakh votes.

However, since it is mandatory for all contestants to submit their account of election expenses among other mandatory requirements under EC rules and the Representation of the People Act.

Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma stood disqualified to contest polls from September 13, 2021 till September 13, 2024. According to Section 10A, the Election Commission can disqualify a contestant for a period of three years from the date of the order if he/she has failed to lodge an account of election expenses within the time and in the manner required by law and has no good reason or justification for the failure.

Also read: ‘CBI under UPA govt. pressurised me to frame Modi,’ recalls Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), under the Congress-led UPA government, tried to pressurise him in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case filed against him when he was the Home Minister of Gujarat.

Shah said the same, in New Delhi on Wednesday, while responding to a question on Opposition’s charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi government is ‘misusing’ central agencies to target them.

Shah said the CBI tried to put pressure on him to ‘frame’ then Gujarat Chief Minister Modi in the alleged fake encounter case during the Congress government.

Speaking about ex-Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case by Gujarat Court, Shah said the Congress leader was not the only politician who was convicted by a court and lost membership of the legislature. 

Speaking about ‘misuse’ of central agencies, Shah said, “I will tell you how agencies are misused, I have been a victim of it. The Congress did not file a corruption case against us. There was an encounter when I was the home minister of Gujarat. A case was filed against me and the CBI arrested me.”

He added, “In 90% of the questions during my interrogation, I was asked why I was getting bothered and they said they would leave me if I name Narendra Modi. Even then, we did not protest or wear black clothes or stop Parliament’s functioning. An SIT was formed against Modi, which the Supreme Court itself dismissed.”

He concluded by saying, “In my entire interrogation, I was told ‘Modi ka naam de do, de do. But why should I frame him? Today, the same Congress is crying over its fate.”

Also read: Adani’s entire money belongs to PM Modi: Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that all the wealth of billionaire businessman Gautam Adani belonged to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Raut made the claim on Wednesday by stating, “I agree with Kejriwal’s statement. He has rightly said that Adani is only a face. All the money which is with Adani in fact belongs to PM Modi and it needs to be probed. Adani is being protected because of all that. During his chief ministership, Adani’s empire came into existence. He (Modi) speaks on all topics but not on Adani. The Opposition is struggling, your industrialist (Adani) has looted the country.”

Speaking further, Raut said, “Rahul (Gandhi) also rightly raised a question regarding the ₹20,000 crore in Adani’s account. Give us answers. There is no point in talking about what happened when you were CM.”

He further asked, “Why don’t you (Modi) talk about the issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and the JPC demanded by the Opposition on the Adani issue? What is your relationship with Adani? Are the ED and the CBI only for us (the Opposition), not for Adani? Will you do the audit of the PMCARES fund?”

Also read: Nagpur man arrested for making threat call to blow up Fadnavis residence