The grand old Congress party on Monday cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The senior leaders accused the duo of knowing well in advance about economic offenders Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi when they were planning to leave the country.

They addressed a press conference in the national capital Delhi. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that Prime Minister Modi-led central government was informed by the Income Tax department about the swindle committed by Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi eight months ahead of they left India.

“Information that Nirav Modi is about to flee the country after fraud of Rs 23,000 crore was there with Modi government through I-T Dept report eight months before Nirav Modi ran away. If Modi ji and Jaitley ji knew about Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, then how did they run away?” the Congress spokesperson questioned.

Surjewala further asking questions stated from June 2017, when this report appered, till May 2018, when all these fugitives eascaped, Sushil Chandra was chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), under which Income Tax Department would work. What was his role in helping Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi run away?”.

Worth mention here Nirav Modi has been absconding since the alleged Punjab National Bank fraud, by far the highest in the nation in terms of value, came to light early this year and an Interpol apprehend warrant was recently notified against him even as India is working to get him extradited from the United Kingdom, where he was have been based as last reports came.