New Delhi, Apr 4 (NIE): Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday dared Congress president Rahul Gandhi to come clean on allegations that he conducted “sweetheart deals” with NSEL scam accused Jignesh Shah and jailed Unitech director Sanjay Chandra.

“In the last few days, a few media organisations have reported news about Congress president Rahul Gandhi. I have personally studied these news reports and it is necessary to put these facts before the public. He has never worked for a living. He has led a comfortable life and enjoyed vacations abroad…,” Jaitley told reporters.

Jaitley, referring to reports by Republic TV, alleged that Rahul created “capital creation schemes”. The Indian Express, in December last year, reported that Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rented their 4.69-acre farmhouse in Delhi to Jignesh Shah, who promoted Financial Technologies (India) Ltd in early 2013 when the Congress-led UPA government was investigating National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL), a company promoted by FTIL, for alleged market irregularities.

“Indira Gandhi constructed a farmhouse, which is shown to be worth Rs 9 lakh. This was inherited by Rajiv Gandhi. And it was then inherited by the siblings (Rahul and Priyanka)… Between 2004-2014, when UPA was in power, tenancies were created in favour of persons many of whom needed help…Not only did they pay large quantum of rentals as advance through make-believe tenancies, they also apparently paid for a large number of employees who managed the estate,” he alleged.

Jaitley alleged that among the tenants is Shah. “He is the same person who received Rs 5,800 crore from 16,000 investors and never returned the money. From 2007 till 2014, these investors kept saying that Shah has two companies and that central government should merge the two companies and out of the amalgamated assets, the duped investors be paid… the UPA did not merge the two companies. What’s the reason?”

Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said, “We reject the thrash being dished out by Arun Jaitley. Indira Gandhi Farm was rented out for 8 months and 22 days i.e. February 1, 2013 to October 22, 2013 to FTIL. The entire rent received was disclosed in income tax returns and tax paid in accordance with law. During the period of tenancy, one Mrs. & Mr. Khairnar occupied the property.”

“There was no question of any association or relationship or any intervention having been made by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in any ongoing proceedings either against FTIL or Jignesh Shah or any other person or entity related to them,” Surjewala said.