Yadav’s sister denies link of I-T raid with Nirav Modi’s firm

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rewari, July 12

Denying any connection of income tax (I-T) raids at their hospitals with jewellery firm of diamantaire Nirav Modi, the Swaraj India Party national president Yogendra Yadav’s sister Dr Poonam Yadav said the I-T sleuths learnt about the jewellery on finding its bill during search in the evening, while the raids were going on in their hospitals/houses since morning.

“The gold ring was bought by her nephew - Dr Gautam - to present it to his wife on their 10th wedding anniversary in February 2017 and Nirav Modi was not even in the picture at that time. The I-T officials told us that the raids had been conducted following a complaint, but they did not disclose further details about these,” said Poonam while talking to The Tribune over phone after the raids.

Sources said the raids, which were conducted simultaneously at Kalawati and Kamla Hospitals adjacent to Shiv Chowk in Model Town here around 11 am on Wednesday, ended around 2 pm on Thursday. During the 27 hours, the I-T sleuths recorded the statements of the hospital staff about various issues like hospital’s functioning, their salary and number of employees etc. Yadav’s kin were also questioned about their sources of income, the sources added.

“The I-T officials allowed us to perform medical check-up and ultrasound examination of patients admitted in the hospital in their presence. They also let the hospital employees go to their houses after the working hours on recording their statements. However, staffers deputed at the cash counter remained confined in the hospital by the end of the raids,” said Poonam, adding that the officials got the computers and medical store inside the hospital closed.

She maintained that they were not allowed to go outside the hospitals and their mobile phones were also taken during the raids. “We all family members remained confined to the hospitals. The officials questioned me three or four times during the raids, but found nothing wrong in the hospital as all records had been maintained properly,” she claimed.

Poonam confirmed the I-T officials seized Rs 22 lakh during the raids on their hospitals and houses. However, they returned jewellery after the inquiry.

The raids drew public attention yesterday when Yogendra Yadav described these as politically motivated, claiming that these were the result of his recently concluded nine-day Swaraj Yatra in which he had demanded fair crop price for farmers and the closure of liquor vends in villages.

He also accused the I-T officials of confining doctors to consultation rooms and not letting them attend to patients.