BENGALURU: Hours after I Monetory Advisory (IMA) MD Mohammed Mansoor Khan released a video in which he promised to return to India on Tuesday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the multi-crore IMA investment scam took Shivaji Nagar MLA R Roshan Baig into custody.
Roshan Baig was detained from Kempegowda International Airport while trying to board a private chartered aircraft to an unconfirmed destination. It is suspected that Baig planned to leave Bengaluru after Mansoor Khan assured he would return in 24 hours and appear before the investigating agency.
"Mr Roshan Baig, Former Minister and MLA from Shivajinagar is 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 has anything to do with the recent release of video in you tube by IMA prime accused Mansoor Khan," a statement from SIT said.
Baig on Monday skipped the questioning for the second time in connection with the IMA scam and told SIT that he had some urgent work and would appear before SIT on July 25. However, the SIT directed Mr. Baig to appear before it on July 19 due to the necessity of speeding up the investigation on the part of SIT.
Baig was earlier asked to appear before SIT on Thursday. As he sought three weeks time to appear, the SIT had summoned him on Monday. However, Mr. Baig did not appear for the questioning on Monday either.
The SIT swung into action and detained Baig from the airport after it recieved information that Baig was leaving Bengaluru in a private aircraft.
Baig's name figured prominently in an audio clip released by IMA group MD Mohammed Mansoor Khan before fleeing the country in June. Mr. Khan had alleged that Mr. Baig took Rs. 400 crore from him, and refused to return it. Instead, Mr. Khan had alleged, Mr. Baig sent goons to his office and his home to threaten and harass him.
The MLA had refuted the charges calling them baseless and frivolous.
Along with Mr. Baig, Mr. Khan had also revealed that BDA Executive Engineer PD Kumar took Rs. 4 crore from him. SIT sleuths recently arrested Kumar for further investigation.
Apart from 12 members of the board of directors of IMA group and one auditor Iqbal Khan, the SIT has so far has arrested BDA EE PD Kumar, BBMP nominated corporator Syed Mujahid, Assistant Commissioner of Revenue Department LC Nagaraj, Village Accountant Manjunath, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner BM Vijay Shankar and a Moulvi Haneef Afsar Azeezi (65) in connection with the scam.
The SIT has also arrested two persons including a rowdy sheeter for taking over an apartment owned by IMA by fabricating the documents.
Muneer alias Gun Muneer (50) and Bigade Babu (45) had fabricated the apartment documents located on Richmond Road and took over it.
The accused Muneer is listed as a rowdy sheet in Basavanagudi and Tilak Nagar police stations.
