Police Link Executive To Sharma

The Delhi Police yesterday spoke of "close links" between Reliance group president V Balasubramanian and Romesh Sharma, the investigations of whose property grabbing and other activities have sent shock waves through the political world over the past week.

Delhi Police joint commissioner Amod Kanth stated at a press conference, called primarily to announce searches on Wednesday at Balasubramanian's office and residence, that some government papers had been seized from the New Friends' Colony residence.

He also said "Sharma was the conduit" for extortion in Delhi and had close links with the Dubai-based Dawood Ibrahim gang. A senior executive of Modi Rubber was arrested earlier this week for allegedly using Sharma to force an eviction from a company flat.

 

Having initially stated Balasubramanian's designation in the Reliance group, Kanth clarified that "we are not talking of Reliance as such."

The company issued a two-line statement: "Neither Reliance, nor anyone on behalf of Reliance, had any dealings with Mr Romesh Sharma."

Responding to agency reports, the company spokesperson later said: "The Indian authorities have said there is no evidence to suggest that Reliance is in any way involved in any matter relating to Mr Romesh Sharma, New Delhi. The Reliance group categorically denies any connections, contacts or dealings, directly or indirectly, with Mr Romesh Sharma, New Delhi and/or any of his associates." The spokesperson further said: "Mr V Balasubramanian has categorically stated that his dealings, if any, with Mr Romesh Sharma, were in his personal capacity, and have nothing to do with Reliance."

Balasubramanian's advocate, Madhukar Goyal, issued a separate statement denying that his client had ever had any links with Ibrahim but saying nothing about his links with Sharma or about the government papers and property documents the police had found during searches at his residence and office.

The statement said: "My client is shocked at the baseless allegations suggesting that he had links with Dawood Ibrahim. My client categorically states that these allegations are totally false. My client does not know Dawood Ibrahim and has had no contact with him at any time. The question of my client having had any links or dealings with him does not arise." "It is indeed shocking that instead of steps being taken to ensure my client's safety in the current charged atmosphere, he is being sought to be victimised," it concluded.

Kanth said a search party, which included income tax officials, had found some property documents too at Balasubramanian's residence. They had gone in search of papers pertaining to a helicopter Sharma is alleged to have misappropriated. The property papers were sealed since they were not related to the current investigation, but would be further investigated.Kanth refused to give details of the government papers discovered, saying he had first to report to the court that had ordered the search.

He said Sharma was Ibrahim's point man in the capital, to which the Ibrahim gang had recently spread its operations. A large number of video tapes are among the evidence the police have seized.

Investigations into the 14 cases against Sharma are to be conducted by various agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, the South Delhi district police, income-tax, enforcement directorate and wildlife department.