New Delhi, July 3: After being grilled thrice in a week by the Enforcement Directorate personnel over alleged links with the Sandesara group, promoters of Sterling Biotech, the Congress treasurer has hit back at the agency.

Patel in a tweet said, "Thank you officials of Director ED for coming to my house thrice."

He added that "I answered each of their 128 questions but they failed to answer my one fundamental question."

He posed a query to the probe agency and asked "Who in the Gujarat state govt was responsible for bestowing multiple benefits, privileges and honours on the Sandesara group?" Sterling Biotech Case: ED Begins Second Round of Questioning of Congress Leader Ahmed Patel.

Earlier on Thursday after hours of grilling by the Enforcement Directorate personnel on links with the fugitive Sterling Biotech promoters, Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel said the financial probe agency is working under some pressure as no proof has been found against him despite answering 128 questions.

This is the third time the ED questioned Patel under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Earlier he was first questioned on June 27 and then on June 30.

"I was asked 128 questions based on allegations but yet no proof was found against me. The agency was satisfied by my replies but the questioning is a result of political vendetta. I don't know under whose pressure they are working," Patel told mediapersons.

Patel said he is ready to answer more questions.

While the Congress has also defended the party treasurer, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said on Thursday that the BJP is not able to digest the defeat it suffered in 2017 at the hands of Patel.

Frustration and political vendetta is writ large. It is a traceable direct link from the Prime Minister and the Home Minister and the Gujarat connection to the Congress and Ahmed Patel. It is clear that a slap in the face of illegal, reprehensible, manipulative activities in Gujarat elections has not yet been digested by the BJP national and Gujarat leadership, said Singhvi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2020 08:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).