The documents, including land ownership records, blank cheques and promissory notes, found stashed in lockers in the prestigious Bowring Institute on St. Mark’s Road in Bengaluru on Friday are expected to bridge “missing links” in some other important ongoing cases.
The documents, in the initial probe, are likely to lead Income Tax sleuths further in some old cases, sources said. The land papers that have been seized could be among those pledged by land owners/developers at various points in time and are roughly estimated to be worth ₹800 crore at current market value.
Sources said that of the documents that were seized, some had links to powerful politicians in the State. An unidentified person had reached out to club authorities on Friday itself seeking a particular file that was among those recovered. The person, who on being threatened to be handed over to the police, ran out of the club. He claimed to have come on behalf of a politician and asked for a file that had a particular colour.
“In fact, the person pointed out to the file while I-T officials were still present,” sources said.
Institute’s secretary H.S. Srikanth on Saturday told presspersons that the documents, cash and jewellery had been found on Friday while club authorities had taken up a clearance drive of unauthorised lockers.
Avinash Amarlal Kukreja, a city-based financier hailing from Rajasthan, has claimed ownership of the lockers. His residential and business premises have been searched by I-T officials following the surprise find. The land parcels, in most documents, are over 10 acres and located in Devanahalli and Begur (between Bannerghatta Road and Hosur Road) that have been witnessing huge real estate development.
Blank cheques
Sources said that besides blank cheques that were issued for as high a sum as ₹50 crore, authorities also found a new cheque book with signatures on all the cheque leaves that were also blank. “Not a single leaf has been used in the book. Promissory notes have also been found,” sources said.
The I-T officials, who were on the institute premises since being called on Friday, finally wound up the search operation on Saturday night. Sources said that a locker belonging to Mr. Kukreja in another prestigious institute was also opened. The I-T authorities are yet to make a statement on what has been found during the searches on Mr. Kukreja’s properties.
Kukreja used his own lock
The lockers in which land documents, cash, and jewels were found were not on Bowring Institute’s record, and the user Avinash Amarlal Kukreja had been using his own lock in violation of club rules.
Sources said that even the personal lock was so small that it just took them a tiny screw driver to break it open. The locker rent, which was a meagre ₹5 a month till recently, was enhanced to ₹50, and Mr. Kukreja had not evinced interest in keeping the lockers to himself when the club asked members to inform about lockers.
“He had not paid locker rent at all and that is why they are unauthorised. Had he intimated the club over phone about his need for the locker and asked us to add it up to his account, this surprise catch would not have happened at all. It is like the British saying Penny wise Pound foolish,” a club functionary said. Of the 672 lockers, the club broke open 126 lockers that were unauthorised.
Meanwhile, sources said that the club is expected to take a decision on the action to be taken against Mr. Kukreja for embarrassing the club, misusing privileges extended to him as a member, posing serious security breach, and using his own lock against club rules.