Hasan Ali aide names Kalmadi, Jaya
India?s alleged biggest tax evader Hasan Ali Khan?s aide Kashinath Tapuriah has reportedly named several politicians, who helped him in money laundering, during interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
According to ED sources, the 74-year-old Kolkata-based businessman has named arrested Commonwealth Games chief organizer Suresh Kalmadi, former minister Renuka Chaudhary, expelled Samajwadi MP and actor Jaya Prada, Congress MP Subbirami Reddy, ex-MP A S Chaudhary and the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy.
Tapuriah said Delhi Congress leader Jagdish Tytler introduced Ali to Renuka Chaudhary. Ali wanted to present Chaudhary a Rs 1.20 crore diamond, which he took from Mumbai hawala operator Abbas Naqvi.
He said Subbirami Reddy was a close friend of Ali, who also shared a ?good relationship? with Jaya Prada.
Ali?s aide said he also was in constant touch with a Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh, who is ?now handling an airport project in New Delhi or Mumbai?.
The ED chargesheeted Ali and Tapuriah for money laundering and tax evasion on May 6.
Tapuriah, who is also in jail, allegedly travelled with Ali to Switzerland, London, Dubai and Singapore to help him in his money laundering activities.
Reports based on a copy of the chargesheet said that Ali sold diamonds belonging to Nizam Jewelery and routed the sale proceeds through his account in Bank Saarasin to the Barclays Bank.
Tapuriah also stated that Ali had admitted to getting money into India through ?unofficial channels?.
The indictment also links Ali to several high value transactions, including a payment worth $1.5 million into an account at UBS Singapore in 1992, a $300 million receipt tagged with a comment that read ?funds from weapons sale?, reports said.
Dubbed India?s biggest tax evader, Ali, was arrested on Mar 7 after he was taken by the Enforcement Directorate for interrogation. He is believed to have over 8 billion dollars in illicit funds stashed away in offshore accounts.
Ali has been asked to pay Rs 70,000 crore as penalty for evading tax, but his lawyer claims the Pune stud farm owner, known for his lavish cars, homes, horses and parties, is innocent.