New Delhi, Mar 30 (TOI): BJP on Thursday accused Congress leader Kapil Sibal of being involved in a "land scam" and asked party president Rahul Gandhi to explain if it was acceptable to him that a senior colleague had dealings with a person accused of money laundering and facing a CBI probe on bribery charges.

I&B minister Smriti Irani referred to a report on news portal 'Opindia' which said Sibal and his wife Promila owned 50% shares each in a company called Grande Castello Pvt Ltd, which was a 100% subsidiary of Worlds Window Impex India Pvt Ltd. This company was controlled by Piyoosh Goyal, an accused in a money laundering case who is also being investigated by the CBI for allegedly attempting to bribe a State Bank of India official.

"Rahul Gandhi and Kapil Sibal should explain if it is so natural for them to embrace a money launderer and shake hands with those whom they had investigated for bribery," Irani said.

Irani alleged that Sibal and his wife acquired a plot of land valued at Rs 89 crore in the New Delhi municipal area by paying much less for the holding company which owned the real estate. "The person (Piyoosh Goyal) who was being probed by the CBI for bribery during the UPA government and against whom South African journalists levelled charges of money laundering... from him Kapil Sibal and his wife got ownership of a company named Grande Castello Pvt Ltd," Irani said.
Sibal rejected the charges and threatened to file a defamation case against the website. "I bought a company, paid for it, paid from my income... I earn well. My income tax return is up to date.... You do not want to see records and allege money laundering," he said.