BENGALURU: The multi-crore IMA Jewels scam is bringing out the ugly fight between Muslim community leaders of the Congress to the fore. Days after his name cropped up in the case, senior Congress leader Roshan Baig alleged political conspiracy even accusing a fellow politician from the same community of aggravating the situation to politically isolate him. He demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI.
Baig posted a series of tweets on Wednesday claiming that his name was being dragged into the controversy as vindictive politics after his fallout with a few leaders in the Congress. Baig had lashed out at CLP chief Siddaramaiah, KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal days before the LS poll results were announced.
“After my recent political fallout, some of my adversaries have made a full-fledged attempt at assassinating my character by orchestrating a series of events using underhand methods. The entire hit-job has been carried out using a baseless, uninvestigated audio recording,” Baig tweeted. “I was informed that a good chunk of people seen at the protests outside IMA Jewels were mobilised to mix in with the people who were actually aggrieved to intensify the situation, by a politician who has been trying very hard to become the “face of the community”, he added indirectly hinting at his new-found nemesis — Food and Civil Supplies Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed.
In the past, Baig had made multiple references to Zameer being given prominence for being part of Siddaramaiah’s coterie. On Wednesday, Baig referred to Zameer as his “brother” but not without a smirk when asked who was the politician he referred to in his tweets.
‘IMA case should be handed over to CBI’
While Baig alleged political conspiracy, minister Zameer Ahmed chose to refrain from fuelling speculations but responded to photographs of IMA founder Mansoor Khan being seen with a host of political leaders. “As MLA of Shivajinagar, Roshan Baig had invited many political leaders including Siddaramaiah for various events where Mansoor Khan was also present. There is no need to attach special meaning to it,” Zameer said.
The minister called for a press conference to clarify that his property deal with Mansoor Khan was completely transparent and legal. He insisted that once Khan is arrested, a list of people he claims to have given money to will be drawn. On the day the Karnataka government appointed officers to the Special Investigation Team to probe the IMA Jewels case, Roshan Baig demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
“If the case is handed over to the CBI, they will issue a red alert and Interpol will be able to flag Mansoor Khan down. My conscience is clear and I am willing to cooperate with any investigating authority. Since there are investors from other states as well, it is best if the case is transferred to the CBI. There are 13 such companies in Karnataka that are accused of fraud and all need to be investigated,” Baig said.
“In the age of GST and demonetisation, is it believable that a person can loan Rs 400 crore? It is ridiculous. Yes, I have collaborated with founders of IMA when they came forward to develop a government school that I studied in as part of their CSR activity and invest in a newspaper ‘Siasat’ through cheques. But I have never taken any loans from them. If there is proof, let people making allegations against me show it,” Baig said.
SIT team constituted
The Special Investigation Team, constituted by the state government on Wednesday, will be headed by ADGP rank officer M A Saleem. B R Ravikanthe Gowda, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Fire and Emergency Service), will be the chief investigating officer who will lead a 10-member team. The SIT team has issued a red corner notice to all airports. The police are said to have communicated with UAE officials to check for the whereabouts of IMA Jewels founder Mansoor Khan.