DHAKA: Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday denied reports that the son of a top minister was involved in influence peddling, seeking to staunch the type of corruption allegations that sent the country's last government to election defeat.

Modi’s office issued the rebuttal shortly after home minister Rajnath Singh gave an emotional statement to the media, saying he would quit public life if reports in recent days about his adult son proved to be true.

‘The reports are plain lies,’ the prime minister’s office said in a statement, adding that they ‘constitute a malicious attempt at character assassination and tarnishing the image of this government’.

Earlier, the Economic Times wrote that Singh had complained to leaders of the ruling party that a ministerial colleague had been spreading false rumours against him.

The report cited an unidentified senior source saying there was a ‘power struggle’ in the party.

BDST: 1819 HRS, AUG 27, 2014