Ambanis, Burmans reject Arvind Kejriwal's allegations

New Delhi: The Ambani brothers Friday rejected allegations by Arvind Kejriwal that they had parked blackmoney in HSBC Bank in Geneva and denied that they had any accounts there.

Also denying the allegations of Arvind Kejriwal were the Burman brothers of Dabur group who said that they had opened accounts in foreign banks when they were NRIs and were legally allowed to do so.

Strongly denying the allegations, Mukesh Ambani-headed Reliance Industries Ltd said neither RIL nor Mukesh have or had any "illegitimate" accounts anywhere in the world.

"As part of normal business, international subsidiaries of RIL deal with several global banks including HSBC. These accounts are fully complain with all regulations and are disclosed in their appropriate jurisdictions and in India.

"The continued tirade of baseless allegations being made by IAC against us appears to be instigated by vested interests," an RIL statement said.

In a separate statement, the Anil Ambani-headed Reliance Group categorically denied all allegations made by Kejriwal against him. "Mr Anil D Ambani had no bank accounts with HSBC in Geneva," it said.

The Reliance Group statement said it is "regrettable that such baseless allegations are being made by IAC at the behest of vested interests".
Rejecting allegations made by Arvind Kejriwal at a press conference in which he had accused HSBC Geneva of money laundering and that Burman brothers had accounts there, a statement issued by Dabur India said: "It was unfortunate that every person having a foreign bank account is being painted with the same brush."

"We wish to state that these accounts were opened by the Burman family members when they were NRIs, and were legally allowed to open such accounts," it added.

Claiming that the monies have been sent out of the declared and tax-assessed incomes received in India, the statement said the amounts have been officially remitted from India through official banking channels and as per applicable FEMA guidelines.

"The complete details regarding the remittances have been voluntarily, and as per law, filed with the Income Tax Department, and appropriate taxes paid as applicable," the statement said.

Jet Airways also strongly denied the allegations stating that there was no bank account in Swiss Bank in the name of Naresh Goyal and that all allegations by Arvind Kejriwal were baseless.

PTI