BENGALURU: Two weeks after he fled the country, leaving thousands of people cheated of their investments running into several hundred crores, IMA Jewels founder and managing director Mohammed Mansoor Khan has released a video clip, supposedly from Dubai, on Sunday.
He has accused a host of people, including JDS MLC Saravana, of causing the "collapse" of the company.
However, the JDS leader has denied any links with Khan.
In the video, Khan refuses to accept that his was a ponzi scheme, saying that they were into "legal and proper business".
He claims that he wishes to return to Bengaluru, but that has got delayed.
"I went to the airport on June 14, but was deplaned. Being a Friday, the immigration department was shut, so I could not fly that day. As soon as all formalities are taken care of, I shall return to my homeland," he says.
He also repeatedly alleges that there is a threat to his life.
"I am dealing with very dangerous people who are out to kill me. They know that the information I am going to reveal to the judiciary will get them into a lot of trouble, so they want to silence me. An IAS officer demanded Rs 10 crore when we applied for loan to bail out IMA. Since there was a little delay in arranging the money, he refused to process the papers and our company suffered closure," he claims.
Reacting to this, SIT investigating officer DCP S Girish said Khan's allegations cannot be taken at face value and only a full investigation will bring out the truth.
In the video, Khan says: "I congratulate former Rajya Sabha member K Rahman Khan, K Ubaidullah Sharief (Congress worker), Mohammed Khalik Ahmed (editor, Pasban), Mukhtiyar Ahmed (named in a TADA case and discharged later), Feroz Abdullah Sait of Feroz Real Estate, Prestige Group's Irfan and Saravana (JDS member and president of Jewellers' Association), for their success in causing harm to IMA; also those from my group of directors who swindled money and those who spread hate messages that hastened the collapse of IMA."
He goes on to say that in a previous audio clip, he had told the City Police Commissioner how he had to flee from the country to save himself and his family. He adds that he felt "demotivated" then and hence contemplated suicide.
"Also, mine was not a planned exit, like some people are alleging. IMA had been facing financial issues since October, which we managed to protect the investors from, for long," he says.
"My acquaintances and people within the management have betrayed me. I had no one to seek help from, and I had to leave. Out of thousands who made lots of money from the company in its 13 years of existence, no one stood by me during difficult times. Yet, I want to return. I request Alok Kumar to contact me on my earlier phone number. I have complete faith in our system. I am coming back to get justice and I will reveal the truth. Let the law take its course. My passport has been impounded, delaying my return."
"It is upsetting that we made Rs 12,000 crore profits for our investors and capital investments of Rs 2,000 crore, but no one has a good word for us now. I will liquidate our remaining assets worth Rs 1,350 crore to repay investors. I have been framed and my life is in danger, so now I cannot reveal all names involved in our fall, for my family's sake," he adds.
WATCH | IMA Mansoor’s Message to CP Alok Kumar & Investors
Khan's allegations baseless: Saravana
Reacting to allegations made against him by Mansoor Khan, Saravana told reporters, "There is no connection between me and him. The way his business functioned was damaging, and he doesn't follow the association. Khan has a set of manufacturing dealers who supply at low rates, and he wanted the association to bend rules for IMA. Let him prove his allegations with evidence. I will file a defamation case against him after discussing with my lawyer. All he is doing is diverting attention."