Mumbai:
Kashinath Tapuriah, a Kolkata-based businessman, said to be Hasan Ali's aide was arrested in Mumbai on Thursday and will be in the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody till March 30.
Hassan Ali's Chartered Accountant Sunil Shinde was called for questioning earlier in the day.
Both these developments are part of the ED's aggressive crackdown on the larger network of the man they call India's biggest tax evader and money launderer.
Till now Tapuriah, brother of the late Priyamvada Birla, has denied any close links to Hasan Ali claiming to be his victim.
During one of the searches conducted at his home in Kolkata he had told the media, "Not a single paisa is invested in any of my businesses. If there is any investment, I'll give any required document. Khan is a bluffer, a cheat and I regret associating with him".
Now the ED says he was an active participant in the scam.
The ED has told the court:
- Tapuriah accompanied Hasan Ali to Singapore in 1997 to operate his Swiss Bank accounts where black money was parked
- Hasan Ali gave Tapuriah power of attorney to use his Swiss accounts
- Tapuriah is a beneficial owner of M/s Paysons and Autumn Holding having accounts in UBS and Standard Chartered Bank
- Tapuriah helped Hasan Ali procure a fake passport in 1997
- Hasan Ali used the passport to travel to Singapore with Tapuriah and Patna Congressman Amalendu Pandey
- Tapuriah routinely funded Hasan Ali's travels to Switzerland, London, Singapore and Dubai to facilitate money laundering
- Tapuriah has admitted that Hasan Ali has links with international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi
The Enforcement Directorate has been rapped by courts for sitting on this case for years. As it faces increasing scrutiny from the Supreme Court which had demanded an investigation status report, the agency is under intense pressure to show results.
In a late night development, Hasan Ali was produced before a magistrate at his residence in Mumbai and his custody was extended till 11am today. Ali will be produced in the sessions court for extension of his remand today.