"Khan came to me with Roshan Baig," says KTKA revenue minister

Against the backdrop of the alleged financial fraud involving IMA jewels here, Revenue minister R V Deshpande Mondaysaid Congress MLA R Roshan Baig had introduced the firm's owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan to him about two months ago but denied doing any undue favour.

Speaking to reporters, Deshpande said, "Mansoor had come to me along with Roshan Baig. What Baig told me was that he belongs to his constituency (Shivajinagar).

He (Baig) said he (Khan) runs a good school and is a good man. He told me that he runs a jewellery shop and he spoke to me about some difficulties. I told him that whatever is possible within the framework of law I will do it.

 

I did say this. He did come to me. This is not a new story...we have not done any undue favours."

Recalling his meeting, Deshpande said there was a police report (about the firm) dated May 25, 2019 but the duo (Baig and Khan) came to him before it came out.

The police department had said IMA did not attract provisions of the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors (KPID) Act after the RBI wanted the firm's deals be investigated.

Not satisifed with the report, the RBI wrote to the state government asking it to reinvestigate the matter. The police report reaffirmed that Khan's firm did not attract the provisions of the Act.

"We have been very clear. Though these reports have come, we have not given any clean chit to anybody," Deshpande told PTI.

Deshpande's remarks come against the backdrop of reports that an MLA took Khan along with him to a minister asking him to bail him out from the firm's crisis.

Repeated attempts to contact Baig proved futile.

Both Deshpande and Baig belong to the Congress.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team formed to probe the case, conducted raids at the residences of Khan and his wife, Tabassum.

Deputy commissioner of police S Girish, who is a member of the SIT, told reporters that some documents, gold, laptop and Rs 2.7 lakh in cash was seized from her house.

The laptop carried information vital to the investigation, Girish added.

The Karnataka High Court, hearing a batch of petitions from 18 investors seeking a CBI probe into the alleged fraud, Monday served notices onKhan, the state government and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The matter has been posted for hearing on June 28.

The city-based IMA jewels had allegedly cheated a large number of investors after promising them impressive returns on their deposits.

Seven directors of the firm were apprehended on June 12.

Khan went absconding after allegedly threatening to commit suicide in an audio clip.He even accused Roshan Baig of taking Rs 400 crore from himand not returning it.

Baig had rubbished the charge, alleging that his political adversaries had orchestrated the "series of events" to tarnish his character.

Senior Congress leader H K Patil has urged the state government to formulate regulations under a law that enables confiscation of properties of fraudsters and returning it to investors in 180 days.