Bengaluru: In what could be a relief to over 1,000 employees of IMA group, the city police and Labour Dept have assured that they will help them get their original school marks cards and other certificates, currently with the HR department of IMA.
Their future hangs in balance as the IMA Group managing director Mohammad Mansoor Khan fled the country after cheating thousands of investors of over Rs 2,000 crore. Their world turned upside down on Monday, when the controversial audio clip, purportedly by Mansoor, went viral.
Around 100 employees of IMA, most of them working at its Shivajinagar and Jayanagar gold showrooms, approached the labour dept and the Police Commissioner on Thursday and submitted a letter. The employees told the labour department that they were asked to submit original documents such as SSLC/ PUC marks cards, passport and other original documents while joining the group.
Sources said IMA group has over 1,000 employees working in its jewellery showrooms, investment office, hospital, pharmacy, supermarkets and other entities.
“I was shocked after I heard the audio. I never believed he would do this to his employees and investors. We don't know what will happen now. We were concerned about our documents, which the labour and the police departments have assured to return," an employee with the IMA’s Shivajinagar jewellery outlet told Deccan Chronicle.
Meanwhile, the police have seized both the jewellery showrooms of IMA, investment office in Shivajinagar and Jayanagar and preparing to conduct a search operation to ascertain the amount of gold, silver, diamond and documents stacked in the strong room.
Another IMA employee said they were happy when they got a five-day holiday for Eid, but they never imagined what was in store for them.
Employees too had invested
Almost all IMA employees had invested in various schemes floated by the group, expecting handsome returns. They had believed Mansoor’s assurance that they have a bright future in the company and they would enjoy an unique work atmosphere.
"All our dreams came crashing and we have nowhere to go. We are left penniless and jobless now," another employee said.
The jewellery showrooms in Shivajinagar and Jayanagar alone had nearly 200 employees, while the investment office at Shivajinagar employs nearly 100 employees.
