IMA founder Mansoor Khan pleaded to be allowed to return to India, a day after a blue corner notice was issued by the Interpol against him. Khan, who is currently absconding, has been accused of allegedly running a Rs 2,000 crore scam in Bengaluru.
In a video uploaded on YouTube on 23 June, without disclosing his location, Khan said he attempted to return to India on 14 June but was unsuccessful.
“I have made a mistake leaving the country but I have been betrayed by my own management. I had to separate my family from me and hide them. But my state of mind is better and I want to come back.”
It was being speculated that Khan had fled to Dubai after police found two abandoned SUVs, allegedly owned by him, one of which was near Kempe Gowda International Airport.
Police sources said Khan had started his business from Dubai and later shifted to Bengaluru to start IMA Jewels.
He also directly appealed to Bengaluru City police commissioner Alok Kumar to contact him on his phone number and help him come back. Addressing Kumar, Khan said:
“I have the same phone number, please SMS me the details. You are my only hope right now. I will give you the truth after I come back and assist you in the probe in every manner.”
“For the last 12-13 years 21,000 families have been getting returns it's upsetting that after we looked after so many families, they couldn't take care of IMA. Till now IMA has made Rs 12,000 crores worth profit and we have paid our investors,” he said, adding that he was ready to liquidate the remaining assets and payback the investors.
The ED filed filed a case of money laundering in the alleged Ponzi scheme.
“I was never running a Ponzi scheme. It was a true business and the reason behind the collapse of this business are central and state-level corruption and they were successful,” he said in the video.
Days after Khan went absconding, an audio clip went viral where he allegedly threatened to commit suicide alleging corruption. He had also alleged the Shivajinagar Congress MLA Roshan Baig took Rs 400 crore from him and was not returning it.
Baig had rubbished the charge, alleging that his political adversaries had orchestrated the "series of events" to tarnish his character.
“I have a list of those people who are involved in the corruption and I will reveal their names when I appear before the judiciary. Those involved are big shots and if I name them right now then they will find my family and kill them. Obviously when I return they will be after my life as well,” he claimed.
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