Didn’t suspect Mansoor Khan was a fraudster, insists R Roshan Baig

Former minister and senior Congress legislator R Roshan Baig was in the eye of a storm even before he came under the cloud of the IMA scam that surfaced earlier this week. Baig, the Shivajinagar MLA, who had been going hammer and tongs at leaders of his party, defended himself while also taking potshots at minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. Excerpts from an interview with Baig:
Given that the IMA Group operated from your constituency and Mohammed Mansoor Khan, the founderowner, mentioned your name in a purported audio clip, you are in a tight spot…
I’ve clearly said the voice recorded in the clip is of a fraudster, who has cheated thousands of investors from the Muslim community. The clip says I have taken Rs 400 crore from Mansoor Khan. While I am astonished by this, I want to ask, how can one believe a fraudster? He is absconding and nobody knows his whereabouts.
Being a lawmaker, how did you allow the company to promote the ponzi scheme right under your nose and what is the justification for accepting funds from a fraudulent company for the development of the school?
Honestly speaking, I had no inkling of the IMA’s shady dealings. I did not even suspect Khan was a fraudster.
How will you help gullible investors now?
The government has set up an SIT (special investigative team) which I welcome. But my request to chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is to refer the case to the CBI, which has better network and infrastructure. First though, the government must track down Khan and ensure investors get their money back.
You accused leaders in your party of defaming you. Whom do you suspect?
While I don’t want to name anyone, I am surprised at the timing of all this. I had spoken out against my own party leaders including Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, following which the audio clip surfaced. The fact is, I had no business links with the IMA Group and I had not taken Rs 5 crore from the company like some of our leaders did.
You mean minister Zameer Khan has something to do with the scam?
I have not taken anybody’s name. Zameer is like a brother to me. He led a delegation of Muslim leaders to the chief minister on Tuesday, seeking justice to the investors. I would have accompanied him if I were in Bengaluru.
Do you think some Congress leaders will be hauled up in CBI probe?
It is all subject to an investigation.