Something fishy
The biggest mystery in the CBI’s campaign against former zonal director of the NCB Sameer Wankhede is why Pooja Dadlani, Shah Rukh Khan’s manager, is not being interrogated. The CBI’s contention is that Wankhede demanded Rs25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan not to arrest his son Aryan Khan in the infamous Cordelia cruise drug party case. It is further claimed that the amount was brought down to Rs18 crore by an independent panch witness, KP Gosavi, who was allegedly fronting for Wankhede, and later Rs50 lakh was paid in cash allegedly by Dadlani. The cash, obviously, must have been arranged by the actor. In which case, the CBI should question both Pooja and Shah Rukh. But, that doesn’t seem to be happening. In fact, if it is proved that Pooja did indeed pay Rs50 lakh, she is liable to be prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The question is will the CBI come to the doorstep of ‘Mannat’? But then powerful forces are at work.
Smooth operator
The ED made a major move when it arrested the CMD of ADG Shipyards Ltd, Rishi Agarwal, who was accused of a Rs22,842 crore fraud. Loans were taken from a consortium of leading banks apparently to meet capital requirements and later siphoned off to other companies, including Bermaco Energy Systems led by Viren Ahuja. The ED has attached several properties in this regard. However, it is yet to question Ahuja, who is a very suave businessman with powerful political connections, specially in Tamil Nadu. He also owns a luxury resort at Karjat called Oleander Farms.
BJP’s new plan
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued summons to Jayant Patil, president of the state unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), just after the results of the Karnataka assembly election were out. Patil was summoned in connection with the IL&FS scam, which runs into thousands of crores. The ED already has NCP leader and ex-deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar by the hook, which is why he is keen on joining hands with the ruling BJP. Patil had been resolutely opposing political overtures from the BJP. But now with the ED summoning him, he may also fall in line. Interestingly, the ED had also stated that it may question NCP head Sharad Pawar himself in connection with the Rs25,000 crore alleged scam in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank. An ED official had stated that it is the department’s prerogative to summon anyone in connection with an investigation. So the ED has kept open the option of summoning Pawar. The BJP has split the Shiv Sena. The next item on the plate is the NCP. The game plan is to weaken both the Shiv Sena and the NCP substantially before the 2024 elections to the assembly and the Lok Sabha.
Case of missing Rs 300 crore
The widow of a late political neta is running from pillar to post to recover the Rs300 crore her husband had lent to a fast-talking film personality leading a luxurious life in Mumbai. The neta had entered the details of payments in a diary. However, this particular businessman, who was arrested some years ago in connection with a fraud he had committed on a cooperative bank because of which it had to wind up, is simply pleading ignorance about the money. The problem is that the money was paid entirely in cash in good faith. Another problem is that the neta’s son is least interested in recovering the mega amount. Meanwhile, the businessman is busy conning others.
Compiled by S Balakrishnan
