TMC MPs meet Pawar; NCP (SP) backs demand for probe into stock market 'manipulation'

Mumbai: A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs on Tuesday met NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar who supported their demand for an investigation into the alleged stock market manipulation following exit polls earlier this month.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were "directly involved" in what he described as the "biggest stock market scam" with retail investors losing Rs 30 lakh crore due to the market crashing after the Lok Sabha poll result earlier this month.

The BJP has dismissed his charges as "baseless".

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) head Mamata Banerjee has demanded an investigation into how stock markets were "manipulated by using fake exit polls".

In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, Pawar said, "All India Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee, Sagarika Ghosh and Saket Gokhale are in Mumbai to visit SEBI demanding an investigation in the stock market manipulation during exit polls. Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar is supporting them in this cause." Pawar said the TMC parliamentarians paid a courtesy visit to his Mumbai residence in the morning.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, who is the daughter of Sharad Pawar, and former MLC Vidya Chavan were also present at the meet.