Pramesh Jain
The Special Investigation team (SIT) probing the Multi-Crore Fraud IMA Jewels Ponzi Scam case on Monday detained senior Rebel Congress leader and legislator from Shivajinagar, R.Roshan Baig from Kempegowda International Airport for his alleged role in the scam, adding to the ongoing political drama in Karnataka.
Soon after IMA scam mastermind Mansoor Khan released a video saying that he would return to India within 24 hours, former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA R Roshan Baig was detained by the Special Investigation Team in connection with the case from Kempegowda International Airport.
Baig was about to leave Bengaluru on a private aircraft on Monday evening when he was detained for questioning, sources said.
Baig has been detained for questioning from Kempegowda International Airport when he was about to take off in a private chartered aircraft to unconfirmed destination. It will be verified whether his sudden plan to leave Bengaluru is anything to do with recent release of video in Youtube by IMA prime accused Mansoor Khan,” SIT said.
SIT sources said,Mr Roshan Baig former minister and MLA Shivajinagar detained for questioning from Kempegowda International Airport when he is about to take off In a private chartered Aircraft to unconfirmed destination.It will be verified whether his sudden plan to leave Bengaluru is anything to do with recent release of video in you tube by IMA Prime accused Mansoor Khan.We have detained him for now.we have to enquire him.We are taking him to SIT office in Chalukya Circle CID office says SIT Sources.
Baig was supposed to appear before the probe team on Monday in the money laundering case, but did not saying that he had some urgent work.
The MLA wanted to appear on July 25 but the SIT directed him to depose on July 19 instead, SIT said.
Baig is among 16 other coalition legislators who have resigned since 1 July and most of them are currently lodged in a Mumbai hotel.The legislators are being pursued by both the Congress and JD (S) to return before the confidence motion, moved by Kumaraswamy, comes up for discussion on Thursday.
Khan had named prominent politicians and other personalities in his two videos released so far.On 23 June,Khan had named senior Congress leader K.Rahman Khan and JD(S) legislator T.Sharavana among others of running a campaign to end the company.Another Congress minister, B.Z.Zameer Ahmed Khan is being questioned by the ED for his alleged role in the scandal.
In a major expose,Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said the BJP was trying to help senior Congress legislator R Roshan Baig,who is facing a probe in the multi-crore IMA scam,flee Bengaluru.Karnataka.
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy confirmed the development and slammed Opposition BJP for allegedly facilitating Baig’s escape bid.
“Today SIT probing the #IMA case detained @rroshanbaig for questioning at the BIAL airport while he was trying leave along with @BSYBJP’s PA Santosh on a chartered flight to Mumbai.I was told that on seeing the SIT,Santhosh ran away while the team apprehended Mr. Baig,” wrote Kumaraswamy.
He added, “BJP MLA Yogeshwar was present at the time there. It’s a shame that @BJP4Karnataka is helping a former minister escape, who is facing a probe in the #IMA case. This clearly shows #BJP’ s direct involvement in destabilizing the govt through horse trading”wrote Kumaraswamy.
Reacting to the CM HD Kumaraswamy tweet BJP said,CM @hd_kumaraswamy is using the state machinery to save his govt now. Mr. Roshan Baig was given time till 19th July to appear before SIT. This shows how the state Govt is blackmailing and treating their own MLAs’ using the institutions.Wrote BJP.
It is false that @BSYBJP’s PA Santhosh was travelling along with Mr. Baig.CM is peddling fake news & misleading the state. It was only Mr.Baig who was travelling & their was no 2nd passenger.We demand to check boarding passes & CCTV footage to put out the facts.BJP reacted to CM tweets.
It is said that there was a midnight high drama in kempegowda international airport while detaining the Rebel MLA questioned SIT officers why you are detaining me do you have a arrest warrant as you have served me notice to appear on July 19th there is still time for me to reply to your notice he questioned the SIT officers.
As per the summons notice no police officer can detain any person as the suspect to whom they serve notice it is only a summons so the officer cannot arrest or detain anyone only for summons they should serve the person summons notice three times and if then also he does not appear for it means then they should send a notice again asking him to appear if not the officer should go to their place and take his statement and collect the details says police sources But only based on summons they cannot detain says sources.
A former Minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government, Baig landed in the IMA controversy after the company owner Khan alleged that Baig took Rs 400 crore from him but did not return it. Khan is the prime accused in the multi crore IMA scam.
The MLA wanted to appear on July 25 but the SIT directed him to depose on July 19 instead, SIT said.
Regarding the appearance of MLA Mr Roshan Baig, before the SIT, he has consented to appear before SIT on July 25. But due to the necessity of speeding up the investigation on the part of the SIT, a second notice is served to him to appear on July 19,” the SIT said in a statement.
The MLA had refuted the charges calling them baseless and frivolous.
Baig has been sulking for quite sometime and had flayed party leaders Siddaramaiah and state president Dinesh Gundu Rao for the party’s poor show in the Lok Sabha election. The party later suspended him for his “anti-party” activities.
At the height of the resignation drama in Karnataka, he joined the bandwagon of 16 MLAs who tendered their resignation from the assembly, pushing the ruling coalition to the verge of collapse.
Hours after his resignation on July 9, the SIT served him a notice asked him to appear on July 11 but the MLA sought time and said he would appear on Monday but did not turn up.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Mansoor Khan in a video message on YouTube said he would return to India “within 24 hours” to refund money to the investors.
He said he wanted to come early but due to health issues he could not. He claimed he had high diabetes and blood pressure and that there were three blockages in his heart.
“By the grace of God, I will back to India within 24 hours.I have faith in the Indian judiciary,” Khan said in the video.
He added that once he landed in India, he will hand over documents and details to the police department.
“We will try to get the money back from those who extorted from me and took bribe,” he said.
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against the IMA group of companies and Mohammed Mansoor Khan after reports emerged that he has gone underground fearing investments worth crores of about 40,000 investors have tanked.
Before he went missing, Mansoor Khan threatened to commit suicide saying that corruption in the state government as well as the central government pushed him to the wall.
The SIT has arrested 21 people so far, including the Nominated corporator,Deputy commissioner of Bengaluru urban district and an assistant commissioner of Bengaluru North sub-division, who allegedly took bribe from Khan for covering up the case.
