Arms Dealer Says Varun Gandhi Was Blackmailed for Classified Info
International arms dealer C Edmonds Allen has written to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) claiming that Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) member Varun Gandhi has been compromised and blackmailed by another dealer Abhishek Verma.
The letter was marked to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Varun Gandhi, once a member of the defence consultative committee, was blackmailed into sharing classified information by Verma, who then helped international companies land government deals from India, Allen reportedly claims in the letter.
Allen-Verma Fallout
Verma has Varun Gandhi's pictures with female escorts and prostitutes from other countries which he used as leverage, reports claim. Allen has provided a CD with the said pictures, reports claim.
Allen, a lawyer by profession, worked with Verma before they fell out in 2012. In 2012, Allen had shared several documents that landed Verma in trouble under various counts including one under Official Secrets Act (OSA).
Allen's earlier complaints had led to Verma being under the government's scanner for defence deals by the Indian government put in jail and.
No Response From Government
Responding to the allegations made in the letter, Varun Gandhi told NDTV:
How can I respond to something so ridiculously nonsensical. Is there any proof of any of these allegations? What is the proof of any of this?
Speaking to Rahul Kanwal of India Today, the 36-year-old Gandhi said that he knows Abhishek Verma personally and has not met him since he entered public life.
I know Abhishek Verma. His parents were Rajya Sabha MPs from the Congress. I even attended his wedding when I was young. But I have had no interaction with Abhishek Verma ever since I came into public life. Edmund Allens does not have a shred of evidence to back the charges levelled against me. I have been a member of the Defence Committee of Parliament but members of the Defence Committee of Parliament do not have access to any sensitive information. I did not introduce Abhishek to any arms dealers and strongly deny the charge being levelled against me.Varun Gandhi, BJP MP to India Today
While Varun Gandhi gave a similar response to The Economic Times, senior BJP members said that the defence consultative committee or parliamentary committees does not generally have access to confidential documents or information.
The PMO has also not responded to the reports.
(With inputs from The Economic Times and NDTV)
-
Getting To Work Costs Women More | The Reason Why
It is not just about women paying more than men. It is about women paying much more in cities than in villages.
-
AI Bias In Investing Cannot Be Eliminated, But It Can Be Governed
Framing is a particularly important example as identical financial information presented in terms of gains rather than losses can lead an LLM to reach a different assessment.
-
Joining The Dots | Dark Skies, Steady Diya: Why Hope Holds This Diwali
With war, a weak rupee and foreign outflows weighing on sentiment, policymakers at the NDTV World Summit and market veterans at NDTV Profit Ignite: Diwali Edition offered the same advice: stay invested and filter out the noise.
-
The Curious Case of Equitas Small Finance Bank And A CEO Who Quit For Stock
PN Vasudevan believes persistent investor concerns over a perceived conflict of interest had become a governance overhang on Equitas Small Finance Bank's stock, even as the lender improved profitability and asset quality.
-
Talking Points This Week: AI Cash Burn, A Tiger Comeback And An India That Still Finds Its Own Path
India is not immune to higher oil or tighter global liquidity, yet its earnings base is broader, its domestic policy levers are still available.
-
Foreign Investors Own Half Of HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. An LTCG Cut Could Matter Most Here
Foreign portfolio investors have US$115 billion parked in HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank. If the government cuts long-term capital gains tax, Jefferies says returning foreign money could land here first.
-
'Never Seen This Level Of Negativity': Sandeep Tandon Says The Next Rally May Be Closer Than You Think
Veteran investor Sandeep Tandon says foreign selling is easing, large-caps are due a comeback and mid-caps are crowded, while he turns positive on gold, power and pharma this Diwali.
-
Indians Stay With Family, Not In Hotels | The Reason Why
India still lacks enough clean, reliable and affordable hotels for budget-conscious travellers.
-
The Economic Imperative: Analysing The Material Driving Force Behind India-Canada Strategic Reset
This economic complementarity is further reinforced by deep institutional investment ties and talent mobility, which form the bedrock of the bilateral framework.
-
Medicine Pricing: Where Must Profit Stop?
India must confront excessive margins, hidden incentives and regulatory gaps that threaten the integrity of medicine.
