PRAMESH S JAIN
The special investigation team (SIT) headed by DIG,Dr.BR Ravikanthe Gowda and his eleven member team under the supervision of DCP,Girish S and team probing the Multi-crore Fraud Case of IMA ponzi scheme in Bengaluru on Wednesday has seized 303 KG fake gold bars hidden under the swimming pool in the sixth floor of a apartment in Richmond road belonging to IMA group owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan.
The ponzi scheme operator Mohammed Mansoor Khan used to show the huge quantity of gold to the Innocent people and attract them to invest in his company.
Before leaving the country, Mansoor Khan hided the fake gold bars under the swimming pool of his building.
The SIT who has intensified their probe after grilling the kingpin the SIT team raided the building and seized the 5,880 gold bars weighing 303 kg,from his apartment in Richmond road which was hided in a secret location under swimming pool in his house.
Dr.BR Ravikanthe Gowda SIT Chief told media persons that a team of officials headed by DCP,Girish S who is investigating the case and interrogating the accused the IMA kingpin Mansoor Khan during the course of interrogation our team grilled him he spilled the beans by telling that he has hided fake gold biscuits in a secret location under swimming pool in his Alexander apartment on the 6th floor he has revealed the information to SIT officers that how he used to cheat innocent people who used to invest in his I Monetary Advisory IMA jewels he used to get investments from the investors based on the fake gold bars or biscuits which looks like real he has covered it will cooper plated and tonnes of fake gold bars have been recovered from Mansoor Khan’s Alexander apartment a seven storeyed building located in Shanthinagar area.Based on his statement we came to his apartment in Richmond road in the swimming pool area located in his house we searched in the 6th floor while conducting search operation in the swimming pool area our team found huge fake gold bars hidded in a secret location and after testing the gold we found it is fake and it is coated with copper altogether around 303 KG fake gold biscuits or bars around 5880 fake gold bars hidden under the swimming pool by the kingpin Mansoor Khan has been seized the kingpin Mansoor Khan used to fool investors he said he used to show these gold bars to investors to make them believe that the IMA is running in profit and nobody had to be scared about their invested money he used to impress them by showing this gold biscuits and by giving fake promises that if there were problems in the market he would say the investors that he will sell that gold and return their invested money so by this strategy and dirty tactics he used to run his business and he used to keep the fake gold bars in their gold and silver shops and used to do a marketing strategy to make people invest in his IMA company and we have arrested a person named Wasim who is one of the Direcror of IMA company and further investigation is on as Mansoor Khan will be in our custody till 16th August and further investigation is on he added.
It is alleged during the raid the team has found few evidences related to IMA scam and the team is verifying it.
Mansoor Khan, the owner of IMA jewels, was arrested last month in New Delhi by the Enforcement Directorate.
Mansoor Khan, who had escaped to Dubai, flew back to India and was arrested after he landed in Delhi.
The Enforcement Directorate had attached assets worth Rs 209 crore, including 20 immovable properties and bank deposits, in connection with the case.
The ED had filed the money laundering case against the IMA group of companies and Mohammed Mansoor Khan after reports emerged that he went underground fearing investments worth crores of about 40,000 investors have tanked.
The SIT has arrested more than 25 people including 12 directors of the IMA, a nominated corporator, a corporator’s husband,former deputy commissioner of Bengaluru urban district and assistant commissioner of Bengaluru North sub-division.BDA Executive Engineer,a village accountant and others.
Based on thousands of complaints, the SIT registered a case against him and others. It has so far arrested more than 25 people, including Mohammed Mansoor Khan,12 directors of the firm,accused has been identified as,Dada Peer, Nasir Hussain, Naveed Ahmed Nattamkar, Nizammudin Azeemuddin, Afshan Tabassum,Afsar Pasha and Arshad Khan,Auditor Iqbal khan,Mohammed Idris,Shabad Akbar Khan,Israr Ahmed Khan,Usman Arbaize,Fuzail Ahmed,with Nominated corporator,Syed Mujahid,BDA Executive Engineer,Kumar,Assistant Commissioner North,LC Nagaraj,Bengaluru urban,Deputy Commissioner,BM Vijayshankar,Village Accountant Manjunath,Moulvi,Haneef Afsar Azeez,Brigade Babu,Muneer alias Gun Muneer,another Moulvi identified as,Umar Sharieff,Ishtiyaq Ahmed,Wasim and the main accused fugitive,Mohammed Mansoor Khan also been arrested jointly by Enforcement Directorate and SIT.
It recently questioned Congress MLA,BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan,the then DCP East,Ajay Hillori,the then Pulakeshinagar ACP,Ramesh and the then inspector of Commercial Street police Station in connection with the case.
Meanwhile the Bengaluru Urban District Deputy Commissioner K.Srinivas told media persons that they have seized around 23 properties valued at Rs 300 Crore of Mansoor Khan in Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru,Davangere,
The SIT will also question disqualified Congress MLA R Roshan Baig in the coming days and it will issue a notice to him for his appearance before them.
