Banks have technically written off a large amount of Rs 68,607 crore due from 50 top wilful defaulters, including absconding Mehul Choksi.
New Delhi| Earlier, in March 2020, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had raised the question of top 50 wilful defaulters in the parliament, to which he did not receive a proper response.
RTI activist Saket Gokhale on 19th March 2020 filed a query about the same.
The revelation came from the response to this query by RBI’s Central Public Information Officer Abhay Kumar.
Here’s the list of top wilful defaulters as disclosed in the RTI request:
The Reserve Bank of India has revealed that it has to written off a tremendous amount of Rs 68,607-crores due from 50 Top Wilful Defaulters, including absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi, as per a reply under RTI.
RTI Activist Gokhale told IANS that he filed the query because Finance ministers failed to respond to Rahul Gandhi in the parliament.
After @nsitharaman refused to answer Wayanad MP @RahulGandhi's question on top 50 willful defaulters in the Lok Sabha, I'd filed an RTI asking the same question.
The RBI responded to my RTI with a list of willful defaulters (and the amount owed) as of 30th Sep, 2019.
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/gJMCFv8fAX
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) April 27, 2020
Also Read: Loans Worth Rs 20,000 Crore Sanctioned By Rana Kapoor Turned NPA, Says ED
On top of the list are fugitive Mehul Choksi’s company: Gitanjali Gems Limited, followed by the owner of REI Agro Ltd Sandip Jhujhunwala and Sanjay Jhunjhunwala who are being questioned by ED.
Baba Ramdev is also on the list who owes Rs 2,212 crores.
Absconder liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s dead Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. is also on the list owing Rs 1,943 crore.
Of the 50 top wilful defaulters, 6 are linked with the glittering diamond and/or gold jewellery industries.
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