Hours after Mohammed Mansoor Khan, the kingpin of IMA Group’s financial fraud released a video saying that he would return to India within 24 hours, former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA R Roshan Baig was detained by the Special Investigation Team in connection with IMA Jewels Ponzi scheme from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport.
“Baig has been detained for questioning from Kempegowda International Airport when he was about to take off in a private chartered aircraft to unconfirmed destination. It will be verified whether his sudden plan to leave Bengaluru is anything to do with the recent release of a video on YouTube by IMA prime accused Mansoor Khan,” SIT said in a statement.
Karnataka Cheif Minister H D Kumaraswamy took to Twitter to announce Baig’s detention.
Today SIT probing the #IMA case detained @rroshanbaig for questioning at the BIAL airport while he was trying leave along with @BSYBJP's PA Santosh on a chartered flight to Mumbai. I was told that on seeing the SIT, Santhosh ran away while the team apprehended Mr. Baig. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/MmyH4CyVfP
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) July 15, 2019
BJP MLA Yogeshwar was present at the time there.Its a shame that @BJP4Karnataka is helping a former minister escape, who is facing a probe in the #IMA case. This clearly shows #BJP' s direct involvement in destabilizing the govt through horse trading.2/2@INCIndia @INCKarnataka
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) July 15, 2019
CM Kumaraswamy alleged that BJP MLA Yogeshwar and former Cheif Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s personal assistant Santosh was present with Baig, at the time of his detention. The CM accused the BJP of helping Baig allegedly escape from the probe.
Roshan Baig, who is under suspension from the Congress party, for allegedly receiving Rs 400 crore bribe from Mansoor Khan, the founder of IMA Jewels, was summoned earlier by the SIT probing the multi-crore IMA fraud.
However, Baig for the second time failed to appear for the questioning and instead sent a letter with his PA that he needs time till the 25th of July.
Baig’s alleged links with IMA
MLA R Roshan Baig with IMA scam accused Mansoor Khan
Roshan Baig is in the middle of a controversy over his links with IMA scam accused Mohammed Mansoor Khan, who has gone absconding, leaving thousands of customers in the lurch.
After Khan went absconding, an audio clip purportedly by Khan surfaced on social media, in which he blamed Baig for extorting hundreds of crores for him, because of which his company had suffered losses.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Mansoor Khan in a video message today on YouTube said he would return to India “within 24 hours” to refund money to the investors.
In a 7-minute video, which was addressed to the scam’s victims, Khan said that he regrets his decision of leaving India, and claimed he’ll return to India and co-operate with the police to help investors get back their money.
“I tried to return to India multiple times, but due to my deteriorating health conditions, I had to be under bed rest for the past month,” he said in the video. Khan claimed that he has made all the necessary arrangements including the ticket to India and is expecting to reach here in the next 24 hours. However, he did not disclose his location.
