Mumbai: Kolkata-based businessman
Kashinath Tapuria, an "advisor" to stud farm owner Hasan Ali
Khan, was today remanded in the Enforcement Directorate`s
custody till March 30 after he was arrested on money
laundering charges.
Tapuria, arrested this morning after three days of
questioning, was produced before Principal Judge of the
Sessions Court S S Joshi who gave his remand to the ED for
custodial interrogation.
In its remand application, the ED said searches at the
residence of Tapuria led to recovery of several incriminating
documents, including those related to transfer instructions
from Khan`s accounts to various other accounts and copies
of his correspondence with UBS bank officials.
"Searches also resulted in recovery of orginal
documents indicating transactions of Hasan Ali Khan and
Tapuria are also under investigation by a foreign
investigating agency," the application said.
According to ED, Khan in his statement said he had
applied for a passport in 1997 on the instructions of Tapuria
and a second passport was acquired in spite of the existing
one being in court`s custody.
The second passport was used to travel to Singapore
via Kathmandu along with Tapuria and Amalendu Pandey, an
associate of the Kolkata businessman, to open an account in
SBC Singapore. The residence of Pandey, an AICC member from
Bihar, was raided by the ED yesterday, apparently in
connection with the passport obtained from Patna through
forged documents.
The ED claimed Khan had revealed that arrangements for
opening an account in Singapore were made by Tapuria. After
opening the account in SBC Singapore, Khan executed the power
of attorney in Tapuria`s name to enable him operate it.
"Tapuria in his statement has confirmed he travelled
with Khan and Pandey to Singapore and was aware that Khan was
travelling on a second passport when his first passport was in
the court`s custody," the ED said.
The I-T department has raised a tax demand of Rs 591
crore against Tapuria and Rs 20,540 crore against his wife
Chandrika.
Khan, 53, was arrested by the agency on charges of
stashing huge amounts of black money in banks abroad and is
also facing a Rs 70,000-crore tax demand notice from the
Income Tax department.
ED also said Tapuria assisted Khan in acquiring the
second passport from Mumbai regional passport office.
The ED claimed Khan had revealed during interrogation
that arrangements for opening an account in Singapore were
made by Tapuria. After opening the account in SBC Singapore,
Khan had executed the power of attorney in Tapuria`s name to
enable him operate it.
"Tapuria in his statement has confirmed that he
travelled with Khan and Pandey to Singapore and was aware that
Khan was travelling on a second passport when his first
passport was in the court`s custody," the ED said.
ED also said that Tapuria assisted Khan in acquiring
another passport from Mumbai regional passport office.
"Thus Tapuria actively assisted Khan to acquire a
second passport and accompanied Khan to Singapore
clandestinely using the second passport to open an account in
SBC Singapore which was subsequently used for money
laundering," the remand application said.
According to ED, the statements recorded under
Prevention of Money Laundering Act have revealed transactions
of substantial amounts by Tapuria through Khan`s SBC account.
The ED also said that Tapuria used to pay for Khan`s
tickets and stays abroad to facilitate his acts of money
laundering. "There is evidence that Tapuria travelled with
Khan to Switzerland, London, Dubai, Singapore and other
countries to facilitate the money laundering activities of
Khan".
ED said, Khan had revealed that Tapuria is the
"beneficial owner" of M/s Paysons and M/s Autumn Holding
having accounts in UBS and Standard Chartered Bank.
"As per the statements of Khan, who is the authorised
signatory in these companies, substantial amount is stacked in
these accounts which has been generated by indulging in
criminal activities (undervaluation in the import of machines
by Indian companies)".
Tapuria had admitted he and Khan had prepared the
notarised documents that refer to the links the Pune-based
stud farm owner had with international arms dealer Adnan
Khashoggi, ED said. "Tapuria has been shown as advisor to Khan
in this document."
"Tapuria has repeatedly stated Khan was having links
with Khashoggi and admitted that he was helping Khan to get
hold of this money linked to Adnan Khashoggi," ED said.
PTI
