UK’s Indian-Origin Minister Rishi Sunak In Dock Over Wife’s Infosys Link With Russia
“It's been reported that you've got family links to Russia, that your wife apparently has a stake in the Indian consultancy firm Infosys,” PTI reported a ‘Sky News’ reporter as saying.
New Delhi: Facing posers about the Russian presence of Infosys, the Indian software services company in which his wife Akshata Murty has a share, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has stressed that the operations of individual companies was a matter for them.
The response came after the Indian-origin Finance Minister, who is Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s son-in-law, was asked during a television interview earlier on Thursday with reference to stringent sanctions being imposed on Russia if his advice to businesses was not being followed within his own home.
“It's been reported that you've got family links to Russia, that your wife apparently has a stake in the Indian consultancy firm Infosys,” PTI reported a ‘Sky News’ reporter as saying.
“They operate in Moscow, they have an office there, they have a delivery office there. They've got a connection to the Alpha Bank in Moscow. Are you giving advice to others that you're not following in your own home?” the reporter asked.
Stating that he was giving the interview as “an elected politician” about what he is responsible for, Sunak said: “My wife is not.”
He also rubbished posers on whether his family was “potentially benefiting” from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime.
“I don't think that's the case, and as I said the operations of all companies are up to them,” Sunak responded.
“We’ve put in place significant sanctions and all the companies we are responsible for are following those as they rightly should, sending a very strong message to Putin's aggression,” he added.
When asked if Infosys, which also has a UK presence, was sending a similarly “strong message”, Sunak said: “I have absolutely no idea because I have nothing to do with that company.”
A statement issued by Infosys earlier said the multinational software services major “supports and advocates for peace” between Russia and Ukraine.
The UK has imposed wide-ranging sanctions on the Russian businesses and individuals.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer had earlier issued a call for all UK companies to “think very carefully” about any investments in Russia over the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
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