Lid off Pandora’s box in Hassan case
ED’s findings have disclosed Khan’s plan to finance a $500 million project of Khashoggi in a notarized document signed by him on 29 June 2003 in London
Khushboo Narayan
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Mumbai: Transactions running into hundreds of millions of dollars, more links with Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, a close friendship with well-connected Kolkata businessman Kashinath Tapuriah, and at least a passing acquaintance with two politicians.
These are just some of the findings of an ongoing investigation by India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) into Pune-based real estate consultant Hassan Ali Khan, who has been charged with violating Indian foreign exchange laws by holding $8 billion (nearly Rs39,000 crore) in an account in UBS AG, Zurich. ED, which began the investigation in 2007, suspects the money has been laundered.
Also See Khan’s Fast Lane (Graphic)
Based on the findings, ED— that investigates violations of the country’s foreign exchange laws—is preparing to issue another so-called show cause notice (basically a request for information, backed by a legal threat) to Khan, his alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, and Tapuriah.
“We will serve him (Khan) and his associates another show cause notice under Fema (India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act) within two months. However, investigations under money laundering case may take six months before we arrive at a conclusion,” said A.K. Singh, assistant director of ED, who led the investigation.
On 29 December, K.N. Rao, special director of ED, had issued a show cause notice to Khan for the violation of Fema by holding $8 billion in his UBS account in Zurich.
Also Read Swiss hotelier distances himself from stud-farm owner on the run
Swiss hotelier wins 1st round in $8 bn money laundering case
ED gets stay from Bombay HC on returning Anandraj’s passport
RBI recalls UBS banking licence
Singh claimed UBS may not be the only bank where Khan has stashed his money and that there could be three other foreign banks where he has done so. “ED is in the process of gathering information on his (Khan) bank accounts with Credit Suisse, Credit Lyonnais and Bank Sarasin in Switzerland.”
Singh’s investigation report, which has been reviewed by Mint, reads like a crime thriller. It refers to bank transactions across continents, and to efforts by Khan, whom it describes as a scrap dealer from Hyderabad who called himself “Nawab” and claimed to be the great grandson of the Diwan (prime minister) of the Nizam of Hyderabad, to buy a luxury hotel in Switzerland, and his dealings with Khashoggi.
Khan, who also owns a few race horses, declined comment. His wife, Reema Khan, said, “The investigation is on and my husband is fully cooperating with the agencies. We would not like to make any comment at this point of time.”
Tapuriah, who was questioned by ED in January 2007, said over phone from Kolkata that he was unwell and had been asked by his doctor not to strain himself. “Hence, I am not fit to talk to you.”
Khashoggi connection
ED’s findings have disclosed Khan’s plan to finance a $500 million project of Khashoggi in a notarized document signed by him on 29 June 2003 in London.
A notarized document is certified by a licensed public officer who serves as an impartial witness to the signing of documents and establishes the authenticity of the signatures.
According to the investigation report prepared by Singh, and previewed by Mint, Khan had written “a private and confidential letter to Prabhu Guptara, director organizational development at Wolfsberg Executive Development Centre, Switzerland—a subsidiary of UBS—and asked for assistance in clearing up a situation” after UBS AG froze an account belonging to Khan, following a $300 million transfer from Khashoggi, labelling them as “funds from weapon sales”.
While the report is silent on the nature of the Khashoggi venture in which Khan was expected to invest or, indeed, how he met the Saudi arms dealer, it says that Tapuriah and Khan first met in the late 1980s.
At the time, the report says, Tapuriah was chairman of Incab Industries and was visiting Hyderabad to raise funds to revive his sick company.
“Khan’s name was referred by A.S. Chowdhary, who was an MP (member of Parliament), and Vijay Bhaskar Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, and was told that he (Khan) could arrange finance/funds from his sources and resources,” the ED report said, quoting Tapuriah.
The friendship between the two grew, and the Kolkata businessman claims to have helped Khan win contracts “for supply of scrap to Steel Authority of India Ltd and Tata Steel Ltd”.
The report claims Khan had $8.04 billion in his UBS account as on 8 December 2006. The report quotes a letter written by M. Rohner, wealth management executive at UBS, in 2006 that said: “Khan can withdraw $6 billion and was free to invest this amount as and when he chooses to do so and that the balance amount of $2.04 billion would remain bound with UBS until 15 January 2007 and after which Khan was free to invest the same as and when he chooses to do so.”
While investigations against Khan began in January 2007, it was only in February 2008 that the Mumbai Police booked him—for holding three fake passports.
Following this, Khan filed an anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court, which was rejected. He remained at large, however and on 30 April 2008, a Mumbai court declared Khan a “proclaimed offender” after he failed to appear for a hearing at the court. After eight months, Khan surrendered at a Mumbai police station on 15 December 2008.
On 2 January, Khan was granted bail by a court in the fake passport case on condition that he would not leave India and appear before ED every alternate day for a month.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Swiss
Lid off Pandora’s box in Hassan case
ED’s findings have disclosed Khan’s plan to finance a $500 million project of Khashoggi in a notarized document signed by him on 29 June 2003 in London
Khushboo Narayan
Email Print
del.icio.us
digg
newsVine
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Mumbai: Transactions running into hundreds of millions of dollars, more links with Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, a close friendship with well-connected Kolkata businessman Kashinath Tapuriah, and at least a passing acquaintance with two politicians.
These are just some of the findings of an ongoing investigation by India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) into Pune-based real estate consultant Hassan Ali Khan, who has been charged with violating Indian foreign exchange laws by holding $8 billion (nearly Rs39,000 crore) in an account in UBS AG, Zurich. ED, which began the investigation in 2007, suspects the money has been laundered.
Also See Khan’s Fast Lane (Graphic)
Based on the findings, ED— that investigates violations of the country’s foreign exchange laws—is preparing to issue another so-called show cause notice (basically a request for information, backed by a legal threat) to Khan, his alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, and Tapuriah.
“We will serve him (Khan) and his associates another show cause notice under Fema (India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act) within two months. However, investigations under money laundering case may take six months before we arrive at a conclusion,” said A.K. Singh, assistant director of ED, who led the investigation.
On 29 December, K.N. Rao, special director of ED, had issued a show cause notice to Khan for the violation of Fema by holding $8 billion in his UBS account in Zurich.
Also Read Swiss hotelier distances himself from stud-farm owner on the run
Swiss hotelier wins 1st round in $8 bn money laundering case
ED gets stay from Bombay HC on returning Anandraj’s passport
RBI recalls UBS banking licence
Singh claimed UBS may not be the only bank where Khan has stashed his money and that there could be three other foreign banks where he has done so. “ED is in the process of gathering information on his (Khan) bank accounts with Credit Suisse, Credit Lyonnais and Bank Sarasin in Switzerland.”
Singh’s investigation report, which has been reviewed by Mint, reads like a crime thriller. It refers to bank transactions across continents, and to efforts by Khan, whom it describes as a scrap dealer from Hyderabad who called himself “Nawab” and claimed to be the great grandson of the Diwan (prime minister) of the Nizam of Hyderabad, to buy a luxury hotel in Switzerland, and his dealings with Khashoggi.
Khan, who also owns a few race horses, declined comment. His wife, Reema Khan, said, “The investigation is on and my husband is fully cooperating with the agencies. We would not like to make any comment at this point of time.”
Tapuriah, who was questioned by ED in January 2007, said over phone from Kolkata that he was unwell and had been asked by his doctor not to strain himself. “Hence, I am not fit to talk to you.”
Khashoggi connection
ED’s findings have disclosed Khan’s plan to finance a $500 million project of Khashoggi in a notarized document signed by him on 29 June 2003 in London.
A notarized document is certified by a licensed public officer who serves as an impartial witness to the signing of documents and establishes the authenticity of the signatures.
According to the investigation report prepared by Singh, and previewed by Mint, Khan had written “a private and confidential letter to Prabhu Guptara, director organizational development at Wolfsberg Executive Development Centre, Switzerland—a subsidiary of UBS—and asked for assistance in clearing up a situation” after UBS AG froze an account belonging to Khan, following a $300 million transfer from Khashoggi, labelling them as “funds from weapon sales”.
While the report is silent on the nature of the Khashoggi venture in which Khan was expected to invest or, indeed, how he met the Saudi arms dealer, it says that Tapuriah and Khan first met in the late 1980s.
At the time, the report says, Tapuriah was chairman of Incab Industries and was visiting Hyderabad to raise funds to revive his sick company.
“Khan’s name was referred by A.S. Chowdhary, who was an MP (member of Parliament), and Vijay Bhaskar Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, and was told that he (Khan) could arrange finance/funds from his sources and resources,” the ED report said, quoting Tapuriah.
The friendship between the two grew, and the Kolkata businessman claims to have helped Khan win contracts “for supply of scrap to Steel Authority of India Ltd and Tata Steel Ltd”.
The report claims Khan had $8.04 billion in his UBS account as on 8 December 2006. The report quotes a letter written by M. Rohner, wealth management executive at UBS, in 2006 that said: “Khan can withdraw $6 billion and was free to invest this amount as and when he chooses to do so and that the balance amount of $2.04 billion would remain bound with UBS until 15 January 2007 and after which Khan was free to invest the same as and when he chooses to do so.”
While investigations against Khan began in January 2007, it was only in February 2008 that the Mumbai Police booked him—for holding three fake passports.
Following this, Khan filed an anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court, which was rejected. He remained at large, however and on 30 April 2008, a Mumbai court declared Khan a “proclaimed offender” after he failed to appear for a hearing at the court. After eight months, Khan surrendered at a Mumbai police station on 15 December 2008.
On 2 January, Khan was granted bail by a court in the fake passport case on condition that he would not leave India and appear before ED every alternate day for a month.
ED’s findings have disclosed Khan’s plan to finance a $500 million project of Khashoggi in a notarized document signed by him on 29 June 2003 in London
Khushboo Narayan
Email Print
del.icio.us
digg
newsVine
font size
Mumbai: Transactions running into hundreds of millions of dollars, more links with Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, a close friendship with well-connected Kolkata businessman Kashinath Tapuriah, and at least a passing acquaintance with two politicians.
These are just some of the findings of an ongoing investigation by India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) into Pune-based real estate consultant Hassan Ali Khan, who has been charged with violating Indian foreign exchange laws by holding $8 billion (nearly Rs39,000 crore) in an account in UBS AG, Zurich. ED, which began the investigation in 2007, suspects the money has been laundered.
Also See Khan’s Fast Lane (Graphic)
Based on the findings, ED— that investigates violations of the country’s foreign exchange laws—is preparing to issue another so-called show cause notice (basically a request for information, backed by a legal threat) to Khan, his alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, and Tapuriah.
“We will serve him (Khan) and his associates another show cause notice under Fema (India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act) within two months. However, investigations under money laundering case may take six months before we arrive at a conclusion,” said A.K. Singh, assistant director of ED, who led the investigation.
On 29 December, K.N. Rao, special director of ED, had issued a show cause notice to Khan for the violation of Fema by holding $8 billion in his UBS account in Zurich.
Also Read Swiss hotelier distances himself from stud-farm owner on the run
Swiss hotelier wins 1st round in $8 bn money laundering case
ED gets stay from Bombay HC on returning Anandraj’s passport
RBI recalls UBS banking licence
Singh claimed UBS may not be the only bank where Khan has stashed his money and that there could be three other foreign banks where he has done so. “ED is in the process of gathering information on his (Khan) bank accounts with Credit Suisse, Credit Lyonnais and Bank Sarasin in Switzerland.”
Singh’s investigation report, which has been reviewed by Mint, reads like a crime thriller. It refers to bank transactions across continents, and to efforts by Khan, whom it describes as a scrap dealer from Hyderabad who called himself “Nawab” and claimed to be the great grandson of the Diwan (prime minister) of the Nizam of Hyderabad, to buy a luxury hotel in Switzerland, and his dealings with Khashoggi.
Khan, who also owns a few race horses, declined comment. His wife, Reema Khan, said, “The investigation is on and my husband is fully cooperating with the agencies. We would not like to make any comment at this point of time.”
Tapuriah, who was questioned by ED in January 2007, said over phone from Kolkata that he was unwell and had been asked by his doctor not to strain himself. “Hence, I am not fit to talk to you.”
Khashoggi connection
ED’s findings have disclosed Khan’s plan to finance a $500 million project of Khashoggi in a notarized document signed by him on 29 June 2003 in London.
A notarized document is certified by a licensed public officer who serves as an impartial witness to the signing of documents and establishes the authenticity of the signatures.
According to the investigation report prepared by Singh, and previewed by Mint, Khan had written “a private and confidential letter to Prabhu Guptara, director organizational development at Wolfsberg Executive Development Centre, Switzerland—a subsidiary of UBS—and asked for assistance in clearing up a situation” after UBS AG froze an account belonging to Khan, following a $300 million transfer from Khashoggi, labelling them as “funds from weapon sales”.
While the report is silent on the nature of the Khashoggi venture in which Khan was expected to invest or, indeed, how he met the Saudi arms dealer, it says that Tapuriah and Khan first met in the late 1980s.
At the time, the report says, Tapuriah was chairman of Incab Industries and was visiting Hyderabad to raise funds to revive his sick company.
“Khan’s name was referred by A.S. Chowdhary, who was an MP (member of Parliament), and Vijay Bhaskar Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, and was told that he (Khan) could arrange finance/funds from his sources and resources,” the ED report said, quoting Tapuriah.
The friendship between the two grew, and the Kolkata businessman claims to have helped Khan win contracts “for supply of scrap to Steel Authority of India Ltd and Tata Steel Ltd”.
The report claims Khan had $8.04 billion in his UBS account as on 8 December 2006. The report quotes a letter written by M. Rohner, wealth management executive at UBS, in 2006 that said: “Khan can withdraw $6 billion and was free to invest this amount as and when he chooses to do so and that the balance amount of $2.04 billion would remain bound with UBS until 15 January 2007 and after which Khan was free to invest the same as and when he chooses to do so.”
While investigations against Khan began in January 2007, it was only in February 2008 that the Mumbai Police booked him—for holding three fake passports.
Following this, Khan filed an anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court, which was rejected. He remained at large, however and on 30 April 2008, a Mumbai court declared Khan a “proclaimed offender” after he failed to appear for a hearing at the court. After eight months, Khan surrendered at a Mumbai police station on 15 December 2008.
On 2 January, Khan was granted bail by a court in the fake passport case on condition that he would not leave India and appear before ED every alternate day for a month.
Swiss India
Swiss hotelier distances himself from stud-farm owner on the run
This week, a Mumbai court will hear the case of Hasan Ali Khan’s alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, who is asking for his passport back
Khushboo Narayan
Email Print
del.icio.us
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Mumbai: A case involving alleged money laundering to the extent of $8 billion has taken several fresh twists with one of the partners of the main accused, Pune stud-farm owner Hasan Ali Khan, claiming his innocence; the investigating agency looking to initiate action against Khan and another of his alleged accomplices, a well-connected Kolkata businessman; and talk of penalties as high as $6 billion.
This week, a Mumbai court will hear the case of Khan’s alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, who is asking for his passport back. And likely, his reputation, too.
ALSO READ
UBS given a clean chit, banking licence
UBS deal died over unexplained money
RBI recalls UBS banking licence
Money laundering cloud over UBS deal
In a new development in the investigation of Khan, accused of stashing $8 billion in his Swiss bank accounts and money laundering, Anandraj has moved a Mumbai court against the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the government agency that investigates economic crimes. ED claims to have in its possession conclusive evidence to prove Anandraj’s association with Khan.
The court will hear the case this week.
“We have found that Khan has given the power of attorney to operate his five lockers with Barclays Bank Plc. in UK to Anandraj,” a top ED official in Mumbai, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said in an interview with Mint. “ED is in talks with the UK government to get details of these lockers.”
Plot thickens: Hasan Ali Khan.As the authorities continue to search for Khan, who sought bail and then disappeared after it was denied, they also look to gather more information from his many bank accounts and elusive contacts. The investigation has uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars potentially laundered—meaning, money transferring hands with the identities or locations of the parties unknown—and links to at least one arms dealer. But the reticence of key witnesses to speak has hampered the investigation, ED says.
Anandraj has denied any involvement in the case, and says he wants his passport, seized by the agency, back. Asked for comment, Anandraj’s advocate P. Janardhan said: “I am not allowed to speak on this since the case is pending in the court.”
ED says investigations have revealed that Anandraj was assisting Khan and his family to obtain Swiss citizenship and a work permit, but efforts fell apart midway as Indian authorities launched an investigation last year.
The same ED official also told Mint that another close partner of Khan, Kolkata-based industrialist Kashinath Tapuriah, has been reluctant to cooperate with the agency, which is slowing the investigation of the intricate multinational trail of money transfers from Khan’s international accounts.
“Tapuriah knows everything but is not cooperating with our investigations and not revealing relevant information,” said the official. “Every time we approach him, he falls sick.”
When asked for comment by Mint, Tapuriah sent a text message, saying: “I would have been happy to talk to you but unfortunately (I have) been quite unwell for last few months and doctors have advised me rest.”
The agency has recorded Tapuriah’s statement, but the information is “insufficient for investigation”, said the official.
According to people familiar with the development, the agency is in the process of issuing a show-cause notice to Khan and Tapuriah under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, or FEMA, asking them to give reasons why they should not be penalized. The penalty on Khan could be as much as $6 billion.
In June, ED officials met Tapuriah, the former owner of Incab Industries Ltd and brother of the late Priyamvada Birla, who ran the MP Birla Group after M.P. Birla’s death.
So far, 17 foreign bank accounts of Khan and his associates, including Tapuriah and his wife, Chandrika Tapuriah, face an ED enquiry. However, the agency has transaction details of only four international bank accounts.
Besides Anandraj’s passport, the agency is also holding the passports of Khan, his wife Rheema, and Tapuriah.
“We have not been able to attach Khan’s property in India because they are in his wife’s name,” said the same ED official. “However, the income-tax department can attach the property of Khan’s wife because she had not been filing her returns.”
Earlier in February, Mumbai police booked Khan for holding three fake passports. Following this, Khan filed an anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court, but it was rejected.
On 30 April, a Mumbai court declared Khan a proclaimed offender after he failed to turn up. Since then, the Mumbai police have not been able to trace Khan.
Mint reported in a 2 February article that ED claimed to have found $8 billion in the Swiss bank accounts of Khan. ED also said it had evidence of a $300 million transfer to him, via a Chase Manhattan Bank account in New York, from billionaire Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi.
This week, a Mumbai court will hear the case of Hasan Ali Khan’s alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, who is asking for his passport back
Khushboo Narayan
Email Print
del.icio.us
digg
newsVine
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Mumbai: A case involving alleged money laundering to the extent of $8 billion has taken several fresh twists with one of the partners of the main accused, Pune stud-farm owner Hasan Ali Khan, claiming his innocence; the investigating agency looking to initiate action against Khan and another of his alleged accomplices, a well-connected Kolkata businessman; and talk of penalties as high as $6 billion.
This week, a Mumbai court will hear the case of Khan’s alleged accomplice Philip Anandraj, a Switzerland-based hotelier, who is asking for his passport back. And likely, his reputation, too.
ALSO READ
UBS given a clean chit, banking licence
UBS deal died over unexplained money
RBI recalls UBS banking licence
Money laundering cloud over UBS deal
In a new development in the investigation of Khan, accused of stashing $8 billion in his Swiss bank accounts and money laundering, Anandraj has moved a Mumbai court against the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the government agency that investigates economic crimes. ED claims to have in its possession conclusive evidence to prove Anandraj’s association with Khan.
The court will hear the case this week.
“We have found that Khan has given the power of attorney to operate his five lockers with Barclays Bank Plc. in UK to Anandraj,” a top ED official in Mumbai, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said in an interview with Mint. “ED is in talks with the UK government to get details of these lockers.”
Plot thickens: Hasan Ali Khan.As the authorities continue to search for Khan, who sought bail and then disappeared after it was denied, they also look to gather more information from his many bank accounts and elusive contacts. The investigation has uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars potentially laundered—meaning, money transferring hands with the identities or locations of the parties unknown—and links to at least one arms dealer. But the reticence of key witnesses to speak has hampered the investigation, ED says.
Anandraj has denied any involvement in the case, and says he wants his passport, seized by the agency, back. Asked for comment, Anandraj’s advocate P. Janardhan said: “I am not allowed to speak on this since the case is pending in the court.”
ED says investigations have revealed that Anandraj was assisting Khan and his family to obtain Swiss citizenship and a work permit, but efforts fell apart midway as Indian authorities launched an investigation last year.
The same ED official also told Mint that another close partner of Khan, Kolkata-based industrialist Kashinath Tapuriah, has been reluctant to cooperate with the agency, which is slowing the investigation of the intricate multinational trail of money transfers from Khan’s international accounts.
“Tapuriah knows everything but is not cooperating with our investigations and not revealing relevant information,” said the official. “Every time we approach him, he falls sick.”
When asked for comment by Mint, Tapuriah sent a text message, saying: “I would have been happy to talk to you but unfortunately (I have) been quite unwell for last few months and doctors have advised me rest.”
The agency has recorded Tapuriah’s statement, but the information is “insufficient for investigation”, said the official.
According to people familiar with the development, the agency is in the process of issuing a show-cause notice to Khan and Tapuriah under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, or FEMA, asking them to give reasons why they should not be penalized. The penalty on Khan could be as much as $6 billion.
In June, ED officials met Tapuriah, the former owner of Incab Industries Ltd and brother of the late Priyamvada Birla, who ran the MP Birla Group after M.P. Birla’s death.
So far, 17 foreign bank accounts of Khan and his associates, including Tapuriah and his wife, Chandrika Tapuriah, face an ED enquiry. However, the agency has transaction details of only four international bank accounts.
Besides Anandraj’s passport, the agency is also holding the passports of Khan, his wife Rheema, and Tapuriah.
“We have not been able to attach Khan’s property in India because they are in his wife’s name,” said the same ED official. “However, the income-tax department can attach the property of Khan’s wife because she had not been filing her returns.”
Earlier in February, Mumbai police booked Khan for holding three fake passports. Following this, Khan filed an anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court, but it was rejected.
On 30 April, a Mumbai court declared Khan a proclaimed offender after he failed to turn up. Since then, the Mumbai police have not been able to trace Khan.
Mint reported in a 2 February article that ED claimed to have found $8 billion in the Swiss bank accounts of Khan. ED also said it had evidence of a $300 million transfer to him, via a Chase Manhattan Bank account in New York, from billionaire Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi.
Swiss Case (Swiss cash)
Swiss hotelier wins 1st round in $8 bn money laundering case
The court has asked ED to return the passport of Philip Anandraj, an alleged accomplice of Hasan Ali Khan, the Pune stud-farm owner allegedly involved in laundering $8 billion
Khushboo Narayan
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Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency that investigates economic crimes in the country, has lost the first round in its legal battle against Switzerland-based hotelier Philip Anandraj, an alleged accomplice of Hasan Ali Khan, the Pune stud-farm owner allegedly involved in laundering $8 billion (Rs33,920 crore).
The Mumbai sessions court on 8 August asked ED to return the passport of Anandraj that had been seized by the agency. The hotelier, denying any involvement in the money laundering case, moved the court against ED on 29 July for the return of his passport.
On the run: Hasan Ali Khan
“We will move the (Bombay) high court against the order next week,” said a senior ED official who did not wish to be named.
According to Anandraj’s lawyer, P. Janardhan, his client has not committed any offence. “In 2003, my client (Anandraj) introduced Khan to the owner of a hotel in Lucerne in Switzerland that Khan wanted to buy,” he said. “Negotiations took place but the deal was not struck as there was no money in Khan’s (bank) account.”
Janardhan also alleged that Khan borrowed $500,000 from Anandraj but never returned the money.
“In 2006, when Anandraj came to India to get his money back, ED seized Anandraj’s passport and laptop, which had details of the Swiss hotel deal and Khan’s bank accounts,” he said. “We have submitted all supporting documents based on which the court has passed the order.”
Mint reported on 4 August that ED claimed to have in its possession conclusive evidence to prove Anandraj’s association with Khan. “We have found that Khan has given the power of attorney to operate his five lockers with Barclays Bank Plc. in the UK to Anandraj,” a top ED official in Mumbai, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had then said in an interview. “ED is in talks with the UK government to get details of these lockers.”
ED also said investigations revealed that Anandraj was assisting Khan and his family to obtain Swiss citizenship and a work permit, but efforts fell apart midway as Indian authorities launched an investigation last year.
The same ED official had also said that another close partner of Khan, Kolkata-based industrialist Kashinath Tapuriah, had been reluctant to cooperate with the agency, which is slowing the investigation of the intricate multinational trail of money transfers from Khan’s international accounts.
Earlier in February, the Mumbai police had booked Khan for holding three fake passports. Following this, Khan filed an anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court, but it was rejected.
On 30 April, a Mumbai court declared Khan a proclaimed offender after he failed to turn up. Since then, the Mumbai police has not been able to trace Khan.
Mint reported in a 2 February article that ED claimed to have found $8 billion in the Swiss bank accounts of Khan. ED also said it had evidence of a $300 million transfer to him via a Chase Manhattan Bank account in New York, from billionaire Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
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