ED gets 3-day custody of Ponzi scamster Khan

Bengaluru : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday got three-day custody of IMA Jewellers’ founder and prime accused in the multi-million dollar Ponzi scam Mansoor Khan from a Bengaluru court for a joint probe with the SIT, an official said.

“Khan was flown to Bengaluru from Delhi on a transit remand by the ED earlier in the day and produced in a local court for joint custody to interrogate him in the scam,” an official of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) told IANS here.

As the ED also booked Khan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for transfer of funds to overseas banks, ED Director Raman Gupta produced him before Special PMLA court judge Shivashankar for joint custody.

“The judge, however, granted the ED three-day custody of Khan for questioning him though the law enforcing agency sought a 10-day remand. We will seek his custody after the ED interrogates him,” said the SIT official.

The SIT, set up by the Karnataka government in June to investigate the cheating case, has so far arrested 23 people, including seven directors of the IMA.

The Delhi Police produced Khan before Duty Magistrate Harjit Singh Jaspal in New Delhi on Friday night for transit remand to take him to Bengaluru where his company is headquartered.

Khan was arrested at the international airport early on Friday on arrival from Dubai on an Air India flight by the ED sleuths.

The major breakthrough in the mega scam for the ED and SIT came as a lookout or Blue Corner notice on Khan was issued to all concerned, including Interpol.

Khan’s return to Bengaluru raises hopes of about 40,000 investors getting their money and jewellery they invested in his Ponzi scheme for huge returns.

--IANS