New Delhi: Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday failed to give a convincing reply when told that the accused might not have fled the country had the government acted on a whistleblower's complaint in 2016 related to the alleged Rs 11,000-crore bank fraud linked to jeweller Nirav Modi.

Prasad had been fielded by the BJP to counter Congress's all-out attack on the government over the scam.

"Every attempt will be made.... The CBI has already issued a look-out notice and we know the increasing clout of India in the world today," Prasad said, appearing to sidestep a direct reply on why the government took no action on whistleblower Hari Prasad's complaint to the Prime Minister's Office.

"Many of them (the accused) maybe living abroad," minister Prasad added.

The minister tried to shift the blame onto the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government.

Minister Prasad claimed the scam started in 2011, when the UPA was in power. He alleged that some people had bypassed the system and stressed that "if somebody, no matter how big he is, tried to protect the culprits, he will not be spared".

Minister Prasad alleged that the assets of Gitanjali Gems and Jewels, promoted by Nirav Modi's uncle Mehul Choksi, had doubled between 2011-13 and asked: "How? Whose blessings did Choksi have?"

When reporters again pointed out that Bangalore-based whistleblower Hari Prasad's complaint had been acknowledged by the PMO way back in 2016, minister Prasad kept on stressing that India's global clout had increased considerably under Narendra Modi and the government would use it to act against the culprits.

"When I said no one will be spared, then no one will be spared," minister Prasad said.

Unable to shrug off the issue, Prasad took recourse to bluster to slam the Congress for using the word " chhota Modi" - a reference to Nirav Modi.

"What is this word chhota Modi? There are crores of people with the surname Modi.... The BJP takes strong offence to the use of this kind of language against the PM that is derogatory, scandalous and demeaning," minister Prasad said.

Another question minister Prasad had to tackle was the photograph that had Prime Minister Modi and Nirav Modi in the same frame at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

Minister Prasad claimed Nirav Modi had gone to Davos independently and was not part of the Prime Minister's delegation. "Nirav Modi was not part of the official delegation of the PM and I strongly deny that he had any private meeting with the PM," he said.

Minister Prasad threatened the Congress that the BJP too was in possession of many "cosy photographs" of Congress leaders with Choksi.

Minister Prasad claimed that unlike the Congress, the Modi government was taking swift action. "Since the FIR was lodged on January 29, the CBI and the ED have taken speedy action and attached nine properties owned by Nirav Modi worth Rs 1,300 crore," he said.

The minister claimed the Congress was rattled because of continued electoral defeats and asserted that the BJP was set to win the Tripura elections.

• There has been some confusion over the antecedents of the three companies named in the FIR: Diamond R Us, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds.
• None of these companies are registered with the registrar of companies (RoC).
• However, the FIR gives their addresses as:
• Diamond R Us: 1110 Prasad Chambers, Opera House, Mumbai
• Solar Exports: 15 Nagindas Mansion, 4th Floor, 61 BJSS Road, Opera House, Mumbai
• Stellar Diamonds: 5 Nagindas Mansion, 4th Floor, 61 BJSS Road, Opera House, Mumbai