IMA Ponzi scam: Mansoor Khan’s 23 properties worth Rs 300 crore seized

Agencies
August 8, 2019

Bengaluru, Aug 8: The Karnataka government has seized 23 properties of IMA Jewellers scam prime accused Mansoor Khan valued at Rs 300 crore in five districts across the southern state, an official said on Wednesday.

"We have seized 23 properties valued at Rs 300 crore of Khan in Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Davangere, Hassan and Kolar in the state as part of the investigation in the multi-crore Ponzi scheme scam," Bengaluru Urban District Deputy Commissioner K. Srinivas said here in a statement in Kannada.

The previous Congress-JD(S) coalition government had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 11 to probe the scam in which about 40,000 people from across the state and outside were allegedly duped of their hard-earned money they invested in Khan's Ponzi scheme in the form of deposits, gold and jewellery since a decade.

"We are seeking the special court's permission to interrogate Khan on the scam as he is lodged in city central jail under 14-day judicial custody since August 1," an SIT official told IANS.

Though Khan returned to India on July 19 and to Bengaluru on July 20 from New Delhi, he has been in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) who are quizzing him on the alleged transfer of funds through 'hawala' route by his IMA Jewellers firm in violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.

The Ponzi scam came to light on June 10 when the IMA showroom in the city centre did not open for business after a week-long closure for Eid at the end of Ramzan amid reports that Khan had fled to Dubai to escape the wrath of investors for causing huge losses to them.

In video recordings Khan released to local news channels and posted on social media such as his Facebook and Whatsapp accounts from Dubai where he was hiding since he fled from the country on June 8-9, he accused some politicians, police officials, businessmen, realtors, advocates and leaders of his religious community of having received "bribes" in crores of rupees from him over the years for building his empire.

"Of the 20 arrests made so far on charges of abetting the multi-crore fraud, former Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner BM Vijayashankar was taken into custody on July 8 for allegedly taking Rs 1.5 crore as bribe from Khan to bail him out of the scam," the SIT official said.

The SIT also arrested Bengaluru North Assistant Commissioner Nagaraj on July 5 for allegedly taking Rs 4.5 crore from Khan to submit a favourable report on his company to the state government and the Reserve Bank of India in a bid to legitimise it for raising funds from banks.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 8,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 8: Lieutenant General Milind Hemant Thakur, Director-General of Supply and Transport Corps of the Indian Army, unveiled the renovated Animal Memorial at Agram Grounds in ASC Centre and College here on Saturday.

The animal memorial signifies the contributions of mules and horses of the Indian Army. These animals belonging to the Army Service Corps, who have rendered their services relentlessly during the war in the Himalayas, often paying the highest price of sacrificing their lives in the line of duty have been chronicled in the Memorial.

To ensure that these hoof prints do not get obliterated, on approval by the Government of India, their saga was brought to life in the form of a sculptured monument in the Equestrian Training Area of the ASC Centre and College.

This animal transport memorial has now been extended by constructing two walls supported by Roman pillars on either side.

These walls highlight the role played by the animals in the Indian Army since the British Raj. It gives details of 637 gallantry awards won by the brave muleteers, 49 battle casualties since independence, 14 gallantry awards to mules since independence and 05 military recognitions bestowed by the Chief of the Army Staff and other Army Commanders on AT units, who have been relied upon heavily to fill an important niche in the logistics networks of the Indian Army.

Gen Thakur also declared that 26 September each year has been nominated as the AT Remembrance Day as it was on this day in 1914, that 9th mule Corps, as part of the Indian Expeditionary Force, landed at Marseilles in France, to a most hearty and enthusiastic welcome by the French to support the British and allied armies in World War One.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
July 26,2020

Bellary,  Jul 26: A 100-year-old woman resident of Huvina Hadagali town in Bellary district, Karnataka, recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive for the virus earlier this month.

"Doctors treated me well. Along with regular food, I was eating an apple a day. The doctors are giving me tablets and injection, and I am healthy now. COVID-19 is like a common cold," said Hallamma while speaking to news agency.

The woman's son, daughter-in-law, and grandson had also tested positive for the virus, and the family was treated at their home.

According to health department officials, her son works at a bank and had tested positive on July 3, after which Hallamma tested positive on July 16; the 100-year-old reported negative for the virus on July 22.

Meanwhile, the covid-19 death toll in the country rose to 32,063 with 705 fatalities being recorded in a day on Sunday. The number of tests for detection of covid-19 has crossed the 16-million mark in the country.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 25,2020

Kalaburagi, Apr 25: In order to make people aware about the precautionary steps required to be taken in order to contain the spread of coronavirus, Muslim clerics here are making announcements from mosques after 'Azaan' urging people to follow the government guidelines to keep infection at bay.

Speaking to news agency, Ateeq Ur Rahman Ashrafi, All India Imams Council Karnataka's state president, said, "Under our council, there are around 80 mosques and after Azaan we are spreading awareness about COVID-19. I also appeal to other mosques to make such announcements and follow government guidelines."

This year, due to the spread of the virus, Muslim clerics have requested people to offer prayers inside their homes and avoid any kind of social gathering.

The country is under lockdown till May 3. All religious places including mosques have been closed to stop the transmission of the highly contagious virus.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.