Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials concluded raids on former minister R Roshan Baig and Congress MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan’s properties on Friday morning.
The search operation that lasted over 24 hours ended with officials reportedly leaving both their houses after seizing some documents for further verification.
Reacting to the raids on his house and businesses MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, alleged that the action by the agency was prompted by complaints made by his political rivals. He said the raids were connected to the construction of his opulent house and unlike what’s reported in the media, is not related to the multi-crore IMA Pozi scam.
“I have not done anything against the law. I constructed my house with hard-earned money. During the raid, I provided all the information sought by the ED. They did not ask me anything about the IMA scam. If needed I will co-operate with the authorities in their probe” adding that he was relieved after the raid.
He added that he was not served any notice by the ED and that the construction of his house was completely transparent and he had nothing to hide.
“The ED has obtained the details of the financial transaction from the Bank which I took for the construction of the house. They raided my houses and found nothing” he said.
The ED raided multiple premises of former Karnataka minister R Roshan Baig under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Speaking to media persons after the raid at his residence, former Congress minister and R Roshan Baig said, “I have given full cooperation to the officials. I have given reply to all their doubts. The inquiry should have ended in three-four hours, but I don’t know what made them take so much time. The officials asked me questions about money laundering.”
Baig, a seven-time legislator from Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar constituency was named accused in the IMA scam, over his alleged links with the IMA scam accused Mohammed Mansoor Khan.
After Khan went absconding, an audio clip by him surfaced on social media, in which he blamed Baig for extorting hundreds of crores for him, because of which his company had suffered losses.
In a video, Mansoor claimed that he paid Rs 400 crore to Baig which had not been returned to him.
In July last year, under the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition government, Baig was detained by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, in connection with the scam.
In the IMA case that is being examined by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Baig has already been charged, arrested, granted bail. The Karnataka government has issued a notification to attach the properties of Baig in connection with the scam.
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Shaik Zakeer Hussain is the Founder and Editor of The Cognate.
