Bengaluru businessman issues legal notice to PMO, Finance Ministry in PNB scam

Hari Prasad said that in 2015, he had alerted about Mehul Choksi defrauding banks and franchisees and informed several agencies such as IT department PMO and the Finance Ministry.
Despite many alerts made by Hari Prasad and other franchisees, none of the above took action when Choksi was in India, his lawyer alleges. (File | Reuters)
Despite many alerts made by Hari Prasad and other franchisees, none of the above took action when Choksi was in India, his lawyer alleges. (File | Reuters)

BENGALURU: A Bengaluru businessman who lost around Rs 14 crore in the Gitanjali gems scam has now accused the Prime Minister’s Office and other agencies of not taking action against Mehul Choksi in spite of several alerts by him and other franchise holders of Gitanjali in the past. 

A legal notice has been sent to the PMO, the Enforcement Directorate and the Finance Minister where the Managing Partner of Meva Jewellers from Bengaluru, Hari Prasad SV, has demanded that his losses should be compensated by the government as it had failed to act and since it had seized properties worth crores of rupees. 

Hari Prasad said that in 2015, he had alerted about Mehul Choksi defrauding banks and franchisees and informed several agencies such as the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate, the PMO and Finance Ministry. However, no action was taken then. The 15-page notice sent by Prasad’s advocate says that despite many alerts made by Hari Prasad and other franchisees, none of the above took action when Choksi was in India. Even the police officials of Bengaluru and other states failed to probe the complaints. Though courts ordered to confiscate the passport, the police failed to follow the orders. It shows the entire system, directly or indirectly, had given ample opportunities to Choksi to commit bigger frauds and eventually flee from the country. 

According to Hari Prasad’s close aides, Choksi’s son is completely settled in the USA and his daughter is married in Brussels, Belgium. His wife is either in Dubai or USA and none are willing to return back to India. The government of India, which stated that it has seized `1,300 crore worth assets belonging to Choksi, must pay his outstanding claims of `14,64,38,604 before giving the money to banks which he said were very much involved in the crime.  

Hari Prasad said, “I have sent legal notice demanding the government to pay our dues. If we do not get any response from their side, we will file writ in Supreme court.” It can be recalled that more than 120 Gitanjali franchisees across the country were duped by Mehul Choksi.

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