BENGALURU: After being arrested on Monday night by the Special Investigation Team probing the IMA case, suspended Congress leader Roshan Baig was released on Tuesday afternoon after detailed interrogation.
A Lookout Circular (LoC) has been issued against Baig however, which will prevent him from travelling out of India.
His passport was not confiscated. Baig was detained around 10.30 pm on Monday and was taken to the CID headquarters where he was questioned after a brief period of rest.
The interrogation went on till 4 AM, sources said.
Senior officials from the SIT said that Baig was questioned about his relationship with Mohammed Mansoor Khan, the founder of I Monetary Advisory.
The officers also refuted allegations by the BJP that the detention had a political motive. “He had been served a notice to appear on the 15th, but he cited Haj work, assembly session and his granddaughter being unwell,” an officer explained.
While all three reasons required him to be in Bengaluru, the SIT might have wondered why he was flying out of the city.
Sources said that Mansoor announcing his arrival to Bengaluru in a video and Baig rushing to the airport made the SIT suspicious.
He had also not informed the team of his travel plans earlier, while asking for another date to appear before it.
Now, the leader has given an undertaking that he would appear before the SIT on the 19th of July, DCP S Girish, Investigating Officer with the SIT said.
Meanwhile, after being released around 1.30 PM on Tuesday, Baig termed the entire incident as a political vendetta.
“I had some work in Pune and was about to fly when the SIT detained me. The detention is the result of miscommunication triggered by political vendetta. I have answered their questions and will return on 19 July. The SIT has said I can fly anywhere in the country,” he said.
According to high-level SIT sources, Baig was questioned about his connection to Mansoor to which he reportedly said that he was introduced five years back at a religious ceremony.
Baig also claimed that it was possible that Mansoor and him were involved in financial transactions as Mansoor had purchased a journal owned by him.
Baig also denied that Khan had sponsored a chartered plane for his son’s wedding.