Author:
Publication: Indiatoday.in
Date: August 18, 2017
URL:   http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/smriti-irani-mail-today-femail-summit/1/1029133.html

The audience at Mail Today Femail Summit burst into laughter on hearing this tale.

How does a union minister react when an influential man tries to pressurise the government to stop an ongoing fraud investigation against him?

At the Mail Today Femail Summit, Smriti Irani who holds the portfolios of Textiles and Information and Broadcasting narrated an interesting tale of how she refused to be cowed down.

"I had this gentleman who I think was being investigated for fraud. He had somebody call me to give him audience. He walked into my office and said "phone aa gaya aapko" (You got the call). Close the investigation.

So I looked at him and said investigation will not stop. I have been told that you want to say something and so I will listen. He said no you close the investigation. I said that it will not happen. So he walks out and tells people that Smriti Irani had said she will throw me out of the window.

The person who had referred him, called me up and said 'beta' this is what happened. I told him that sir you have an assistant, send him to my room. So the assistant came and said 'didi' why did you call me. I told him that look at my room properly and after a week come to my room with that same gentleman.

After a week that gentleman came back with more confidence. He said now you understood. Close the investigation.

I said I could not understand how to close the investigation but I called you for another reason. Last week when you came there were no windows in my room and in the last one week I have made two windows."