Bengaluru: 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.
