Three businessmen whose statements recorded by the Income Tax (I-T) Department, had stated how HSBC Bank had allegedly indulged in hawala, transactions in India.
According to the documents of the I-T Department released by activist-turned politician Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, after receiving the list of 700 people holding accounts in HSBC Bank, Geneva, Switzerland in July 2011, the I-T raided the premises of three businessmen -- Parminder Singh Kalra, Bhushan Lal Sawhney, both residents of upmarket colonies in Delhi and one Vikram Dhirani a resident of Ghaziabad-- on July 28, 2011. During questioning, the trio admitted to holding Swiss bank accounts.
Kalra stated that he opened an account in Zurich on January, 29, 2001. He was introduced to the bank by Charles Habnumch, an investment consultant based in Zurich. He stated that the deposits in the bank account were around `8 to 9 crore. After opening the account, he gave cash to some person in India as instructed by Charles for being deposited in his account in HSBC, Zurich. Kalra gave the money in several instalments in Delhi to ‘different persons’ as instructed by Charles.
In 2009-09, Kalra instructed Charles to close the account, following which money amounting to `8 to 9 crore was delivered to Kalra at Delhi in cash by “different persons” from time to time.
Sawhney, in his statement, said that he had opened an account in HSBC, Geneva in 2004 and his father Bhushan Lal transferred an amount of $1.8 million to his account.
Regarding the modus operandi of money withdrawal, Sawhney stated that he used to call the bank officials at Geneva for making withdrawals. HSBC used to arrange for delivery of cash in India through their agents in hawala channel. All discussions with the bank officials used to take place through telephone. He also gave the numbers of three HSBC staff that he used to contact in Switzerland.
Dhirani said that he had opened an account in HSBC, Dubai, in 2005 and closed it in 2006. He said that representatives of the bank came to him in Delhi to open an account. Regarding depositing money, he said that the person authorised by the bank officials would contact him and collect the cash from him for depositing in HSBC, Dubai. After the money was deposited, Dhirani got a confirmation from the bank, however, no document was given.