President's daughter denies TMC minister's claim

Sharmistha Mukherjee rejects the "completely baseless and scurrilous allegations" made by West Bengal transport and sports minister Madan Mitra that she and her brother, Abhijit, were beneficiaries in Saradha Group chit fund scam.

President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee on Tuesday denied the "completely baseless and scurrilous allegations" made by West Bengal transport and sports minister Madan Mitra that she and her brother, Abhijit, were beneficiaries in Saradha Group chit fund scam.

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Hindustan Times had reported on April 21 that Mitra had made the allegations during an election rally in Burdwan's Ketugram.

"Neither my brother nor I have any association whatsoever with the Saradha group. It is ridiculous that Mr. Madan Mitra has chosen to level such wild allegations without any substance or basis in fact," Sharmistha wrote in a letter addressed to Hindustan Times.

"It is also unfortunate that the name of my father who occupies a Constitutional Post and is above party politics has been unnecessarily dragged into this matter," she added.

The Congress party has denied the charges levelled by Mitra.

Here is the complete text of Sharmistha Mukherjee's letter:

Letter to the Editor, Hindustan Times

I was shocked to see the news report titled "President's son, daughter took Saradha money: TMC Minister" which appeared in the web edition of Hindustan Times dated April 21, 2014.

I would like to lodge a strong protest over a newspaper as respectable as the Hindustan Times having published completely baseless and scurrilous allegations made by West Bengal Transport and Sports Minister Madan Mitra.

Neither my brother nor I have any association whatsoever with the Saradha group. It is ridiculous that Mr. Madan Mitra has chosen to level such wild allegations without any substance or basis in fact. I am sorry to point out that by publishing these defamatory allegations, your newspaper is also complicit in the act and greater care and caution should have been exercised before publishing such a ridiculous report.

It is also unfortunate that the name of my father who occupies a Constitutional Post and is above party politics has been unnecessarily dragged into this matter.

I request you to kindly publish this letter prominently so that your readers are made aware of our complete rejection of this false and scurrilous charge.

Sharmistha Mukherjee