Congress demands SC-monitored probe into Amazon bribery allegations, seeks answers from PM

Congress party, on Wednesday, sought a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter of Rs 8,546 crore alleged bribe charges against US e-commerce giant Amazon under the name of legal fees in India in the last two years. The party also demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court in this issue.

New Delhi: Congress party, on Wednesday, sought a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter of Rs 8,546 crore alleged bribe charges against US e-commerce giant Amazon under the name of legal fees in India in the last two years. The party also demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court in this isssue.

While addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The layers of corruption, the unpardonable conspiracy of pushing India's youth into a cycle of drugs, the loss of crores of jobs and the responsibility of Modi government is now writ large. The shocking revelations have shaken the consciousness of the country and the edifice of internal security in India as also the law and order machinery besides the role and responsibility of the government."

Surjewala posed a number of questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, "The so-called alleged bribery of Rs 8,546 crore was being given to whom in Modi government, who received this money? Was this money given to annihilate the trade and business of crores of small shopkeepers, small MSMEs and traders, so that e-commerce companies like Amazon could take away their businesses and livelihood?"

He further added, "6 companies of Amazon have paid this Rs 8,546 crore of alleged bribes, what is their interrelationship? Who did they trade with? Will the Prime Minister of India raise a demand from his US counterpart that criminal action is initiated in the US for alleged bribery against Amazon? Is this not a serious breach of National Security?"

He also mentioned the case of the Directorate of Revenue and Intelligence seizing 3,000 kg of Afghan heroin worth nearly ₹21,000 crores from two containers at the Mundra Port, alleging that it is a matter of breach of national security as it is connected to the Taliban and Afghanistan. "Considering that Narcotics Control Bureau, DRI, ED, CBI, IB, Home Ministry everybody was sleeping, how can the drugs than come in such a large quantity? Should this matter now not be investigated by a special commission of sitting judges of Supreme Court and a special SIT being put at their disposal," he added