Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Nov 9: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has intensified its probe into the multi-crore IMA Ponzi scheme scam in the city, raided 15 spots on Friday November 8 and conducted searches. The spots raided included a few located outside the state.
The raids were led by CBI superintendent of police, Thomson Jose, on Friday November 8 morning. The spots raided included 11 from the city, apart from Mandya, Ramanagara, Belagavi and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. It is said that they could lay their hands on incriminating documents during the raids.
Hemant Nimbalkar was the inspector general of police in economic crimes division of criminal investigation department when the said scam happened. Houses of the then eastern division deputy commissioner of police, Ajay Hillori, the then chief engineer of Bangalore Development Aiuthority, P D Kumar and others.
The names of people who were raided were Hemant Nimbalkar, E B Sridhar, Ajay Hillori, M Ramesh, Gaurishankar, L C Nagaraj, B M Vijayashankar, Manjuanth and P D Kumar. House of Hemant Nimbalkar at Dollars Colony and Ajay Hillori's house at Infantry Road were among the spots raided. CBI officials spent a few hours in these places and took away certain important papers.
When allegations were initially heard about the misdeeds of IMA Advisory firm, the above police officers had conducted investigation at the behest of higher officials, and gave clean chit to the firm. IMA continued with its ulterior ways as no investigation was conducted because of the above clean chit.
The current investigation is based on confessional statements given by IMA Advisory head and main accused in the scam Mansoor Khan. Mansoor had said that when Ajoy HIllori was the deputy commissioner of police, he was paid a bribe of Rs 20 crore. In the past, special investigation team had questioned Hillori and even CBI officials had grilled him.
Mansoor had confessed having given huge amount to a Moulavi based in Uttar Pradesh. As soon as this issue hogged limelight, this Moulavi had fled to a foreign country. Now the CBI officials have raided his place after they came to know that he was here.