"I May Be Killed, But Want To Return": IMA Jewels Scam Accused Releases Video

Mansoor Khan said that his company was targeted by "big names" at the state and central levels.

Nearly two weeks after news of the multi-crore IMA Jewels scam first broke, company founder Mansoor Khan on Sunday released a video message telling Bengaluru commissioner Alok Kumar that he was willing to return to India and expose those responsible for the downfall of his business venture.

The businessman, however, claimed that as the actual culprits behind the scam are "big names at the state and central levels", there was every possibility of him being killed as soon as he sets foot in India.

Over 30,000 complaints have been filed against IMA Jewels so far by investors who had hoped for good returns under terms prescribed by Islamic law, but instead ended up losing their money. Their target - Mansoor Khan - had allegedly escaped to a foreign location two weeks ago, leaving behind just an audio message claiming that he was going to commit suicide. The Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice against him at the CBI's request.

Mansoor Khan, however, claimed that he desperately wished to return. "I had gone to the airport on June 14 to return to India, but I was deplaned by officials who said I cannot be allowed out of the country. I must admit that leaving my motherland was a big mistake, but I was betrayed by those I called my own," he said in the video released today.

While the businessman's exact location is still not known, his family is believed to be somewhere in India. Suspended Congress leader Roshan Baig had also figured in his previous message, giving political overtones to the controversy. Mr Baig has denied any involvement.

Mansoor Khan is heard telling Alok Kumar in the video that he wants to return to India and participate in the probe, regardless of the danger to his life. "If I am allowed to return, I shall place the truth in front of your investigation team and then let the law take its course," he said. "I want to present all the evidence I have before the police and courts. But the people involved in this scam are no small fry... if I divulge their names now, they will find my family in India and wipe them out. They are probably planning to kill me as soon as I reach India."

The businessman admitted that threatening to commit suicide in his previous audio message was a mistake. "That was a very demotivated statement. But if I am to die anyway, why shouldn't I let my enemies there do it for me instead? They can kill me in custody, or after I have been produced in court, or out on the streets if they let me out on bail," he said in the video message.

Mansoor Khan maintained that his financial venture was no Ponzi scheme, and he would do everything in his power to ensure that the investors are compensated. "Ever since the IMA was founded in 2006, it has disbursed around Rs 12,000 crore in profit earned among investors and even returned Rs 2,000 crore in capital investment. But we are willing to liquidate whatever assets we have, worth around Rs 1,350 crore, in an effort to pay back to those we owe money," he said.

Three days ago, the Enforcement Directorate had told Mansoor Khan to appear at its Bengaluru zonal office on June 24. Investors had held a protest at Bengaluru's Freedom Park earlier today.