Shatrugan Sinha is the first MP from his party to call for an investigation on the Jay Shah case. (File)

Highlights Opposition says investigate Amit Shah's son, Jay Shah

He benefitted from crony capitalism, father's office: Congress

Inquiry needed, why should we avoid it: BJP's Shatrugan Sinha

Former actor Shatrugan Sinha has become the first MP from his party to call for an investigation to determine if the son of BJP chief Amit Shah benefited from crony capitalism. In doing so, the parliamentarian from Bihar continues his trend of siding with the opposition against the BJP on mega issues.In an interview to NDTV, the 71-year-old politician said, "When there are such serious allegations, why try to suppress them? The truth must prevail."Jay Shah, an entrepreneur in Gujarat, has sued The Wire for 100 crores for alleged defamation over its report that his firm's revenue shot up by 16,000 times after the BJP won the general election. The report also referred to unsecured loans.Top union ministers including Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal have denied any wrongdoing by Jay Shah. The opposition Congress has demanded an investigation and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must comment on the controversy.Yashwant Sinha, another BJP veteran who has issued a blaring takedown of the government's handling of the economy, said yesterday that the BJP "has lost the moral high ground" by not ordering an inquiry into the allegations against Jay Shah. Shatrugan Sinha offered similar unsolicited counsel for his party. Citing the Caesar's Wife decree, he said, "You should follow honesty and transparency and whatever allegations are being levelled, let there be an investigation into this matter."

Both the Sinhas are among a faction of leaders that have been relegated to spectator seats by their party leadership. Shatrugan Sinha this morning said he has been insulted by being overlooked for an important public event in Patna which will star the PM. "It's my constituency," he said, describing the slight as "enough is enough."His opponents in the BJP retorted that his commitment to his constituency has been so below the radar that posters have appeared in the past declaring the MP as "Wanted".