Leaving country was a mistake; ready to surrender; will reveal big names: IMA MD Mansoor Khan

News Network
June 23, 2019

Bengaluru, Jun 23: In a sensational twist to the multi-crore IMA investment scam, the absconding MD of the company, Mohammad Mansoor Khan, has now offered to surrender and cooperate with the investigation. Mansoor on Sunday released an 18-minute video, which was posted on the IMA's YouTube group and claimed that leaving the country was a 'mistake' but added  that he was compelled to do so as people close to him had backstabbed him.

He even claimed that he had gone to the airport on June 14 to return to India, but was off-boarded by the authorities, who allegedly told him to meet immigration officials. He however, did not disclose his location. "I did go to the immigration department, but no officials were present as it was a Friday," he said.

“It was a mistake to flee my country but my own people within the management and those who were close to me backstabbed me. Politicians who were close to me became a threat to my life, which forced me to hide my family in India and leave the country. Everything happened in a hurry and nothing was planned," Mansoor said.

In the video he is seen with a trimmed beard and said he did this to prevent people from recognizing him. Mansoor  requested Bengaluru city police commissioner Alok Kumar to contact him on his Indian mobile number and share with him the details of people he should meet to cooperate with the investigation. "I have decided to come and appear before the investigating agency and explain everything to them," he said.

From its inception in 2006 till 2019, IMA has given Rs 12,000 crore in monthly returns to investors and nearly Rs 2,000 crore capital investment to them, Mansoor claimed adding that he has property worth Rs 1,350 crore, which will be liquidated to pay the investors.

The IMA MD asserted that "99 per cent of people" were spreading fake news on IMA and clarified the he was not running a Ponzi scheme, but a genuine business.

"I have made a list of people responsible for the collapse of IMA and details of those who intend to make me bankrupt. I also have the list of people who extorted money from me by threatening to harass me, which I'll disclose to the investigating agency," he said.

He claimed many powerful people are involved in the business. "If I name them now, they will hunt down my family members and kill them. They are powerful enough to track me and kill me as well," Mansoor said. Reiterating his charge that Shivajinagar MLA R. Roshan Baig has taken Rs 400 crore from him, Mansoor requested Alok Kumar to question him and said Baig cannot wash  his hands off saying there is no proof. He also requested for a CBI inquiry, as many powerful people are involved. Reacting to the video, the police said they have not yet ascertained its veracity.

The state government had formed an 11-member SIT, headed by DIG BR Ravikanthe Gowda, to probe the alleged fraud. Over 40,000 complaints have so far been filed against the company by investors, demanding refund of their investments.

IMA directors have stolen gold: Mansoor

I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Managing Director Mohammad Mansoor Khan, who is currently on the run, has now accused the board of directors of emptying gold from the vault in the jewellery showrooms run by the company. In a video he released on Sunday and posted on IMA's YouTube group, Mansoor said that he had received information that some directors had backstabbed him, by stealing gold and silver from the vault with the help of other staff.

"There were 120 kg of solid jewelley and 600 kg bullion gold in the vault and I have received information that most it has been moved from the vault by board of directors Nizammuddin Azeemuddin, Mohammad Wasim (Mansoor's cousin), Khalid Ahmad (Construction worker for IMA) his son Fahad Ahmad, along with the help of other staff," he said

Mansoor Khan further claimed that another board of director Naveed Ahmed was involved in financial fraud. Meanwhile, all the 12 board of directors including the one Mansoor accused of theft are in police custody and are being interrogated.

Mansoor Khan also alleged in the video that former Rajya Sabha Member K. Rahman Khan, Congress worker Mohammad Obaidullah Sharief, MLC Sarvananju, an Urdu newspaper editor Khaliq Ahmad, Mukhtar Ahmad, who was booked under TADA, Fairoze Abdullah of Fairoze Estate, Saif of Zaid Chit Funds, Mufti Iftikhar Ahmad Qasmi, Mufti Shamshuddin Bijli and Moulana Zainul Abideen, were involved in 'financial settlements' and have pocketed investors money.

The SIT probing the IMA scam has so far raided IMA Jewels' showroom at Jayanagar have seized 43 kg gold worth Rs 13 crore, 5,864 carat of diamond worth Rs 17.6 crore, 520 kg of silver worth Rs 1.5 crore and precious gems worth Rs 1.5 crore. The SIT found 1.5 kg of gold, 1.5 kg silver and Rs 2.69 lakh cash from Mansoor's third divorced wife Tabassum's house in Shivajinagar.

Similarly, the SIT seized 30 kg gold, 2600 carat diamond and 450 kg silver from IMAs Jewels showroom in Shivajinagar estimated value of which is around Rs 20 crore.

Did directors empty gold from vault?

Absconding IMA MD Mohammad Mansoor Khan has in the video released on Sunday, accused his company's board directors of emptying gold from the vault of his jewellery showrooms. He said he had received information about a few directors backstabbing him and stealing gold and silver with the help of other staff. "There was 120 kg of jewellery and 600 kg bullion gold in the vault and I have received information that most of it has been moved from the vault by board directors Nizammuddin Azeemuddin, Mohammad Wasim (Mansoor's cousin), Khalid Ahmad (construction worker for IMA), his son Fahad Ahmad, along with the help of staff," he said.  

He further claimed that another board director, Naveed Ahmed was also involved in the financial fraud. Meanwhile, all 12 board directors  are being interrogated.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 20: Dakshina Kannada police have warned of stringent legal action against people who share photos of the coronavirus victims in the district and other patients on social websites.

District superintendent of police B M Laxmi Prasad in a release, warned the people that strict legal action will be taken against those who flout rules.

Police have noted that a picture of one of the COVID-19 victims in the area is being shared on social media.

Providing any information about coronavirus-infected patients or victims publicly is a punishable offence, he said.

The police are putting together information about the people who shared the photo and other information about the COVID-19 in the district and have initiated legal action.

A 50-year old woman from Bantwal had died of Covid-19 at the Wenlock hospital here on Sunday.

She is the first coronavirus victim in the district.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Shivamogga, Jun 30: The organic farmers' market in Shivamogga in Karnataka has seen a rise in the demand for organic fruits and vegetables in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Residents of nearby areas frequently visit the market to get fresh produce.

According to Sridhar, a farmer who sells his produce in the market, the demand for organic fruits and vegetables was very low before the coronavirus outbreak.

"I have been involved in organic farming for the last two decades but there was no real market. Since these days everyone is trying to boost their immunity, we are getting a lot of positive response from the locals," he told news agency.

Sridhar and other farmers come from villages near the city. They are authentic organic farmers under the Vikas Trust and Savayava Krishi Parivar, a federation of organic farmer's families based in Karnataka, and they promote pesticide and fertiliser free agriculture.

Gurumel Singh, who often comes to the local market said, "My family has started eating more organic fruits and vegetable now because of the pandemic. We have been told it is important to take care of our health and organic fruits and vegetables are good immunity boosters. The fruits I buy from the organic market are also much sweeter than the ones I get elsewhere."

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News Network
January 14,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 14: Assuring depositors that their money was "100 per cent safe" with the bank, Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank Chairman K Ramakrishna in Bengaluru on Monday said 62 loans had locked up Rs 300 crore of deposit.

"Your money is 100 per cent safe with Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank. It's my responsibility," Ramakrishna said at Sri Guru Narasimha Kalyanamandira auditorium, to assure depositors.

He was addressing angry customers of the bank at a public hearing. Due to the 62 dud loans, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had restricted the lender from executing business, Ramakrishna said amid shouting by depositors. The RBI has limited withdrawals by depositors to Rs 35,000.

"The bank is saying I can't withdraw more than Rs 35,000. In case of our fixed deposit maturing, we will have to renew it as we can't encash it, " said Nagaraj M, 49, who has been dealing with the bank for the past six years.

To assuage customers, the call to an assistant commissioner of police by Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya -- not present -- was relayed on loudspeaker live and the MP claimed that he had spoken to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to help the customers.

Ramakrishna said he would meet customers again on January 19 with all the details and numbers. Dramatic scenes and pandemonium ruled the auditorium before his arrival. Thousands of bank customers threatened to go en masse to the police station and file a case against Ramakrishna.

As he addressed the gathering in Kannada, hundreds of depositors shouted back at him seeking clarifications. At the auditorium, thousands of depositors earlier demanded the bank chairman's presence to clarify the matter.

The lender had invited depositors to the auditorium at 6 p.m. to update them on the bank's status, following a RBI directive restricting the bank from doing business with immediate effect.

"We want the bank's directors here," shouted a depositor from the stage. A handful of policemen were trying to control the crowd and bring order to the assembly. Many elderly and retired persons had arrived to know the fate of their savings. Several women were also present at the meeting.

"It was a good bank with only 0.5 per cent NPAs. Now we can't trust any bank. See what happened with the PMC Bank," said another customer.

Shankar Sharma, 38, an employee of a private company, said majority of depositors were senior citizens and retirees. "I don't have an account with the bank, but my mother, uncle, aunt have deposited money in it. I came for them, " said Sharma. He said many of the bank's 35,000 clientele deposited more than Rs 5 lakh, which had total deposits of Rs 1,600 crore. The bank started operations in 1999.

Ramakrishna was escorted away to safety by the police after his speech even as the depositors were screaming and agitating for justice.

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