Ahmed Patel has served as political secretary to UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials have started their fourth round of questioning of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in connection with an alleged money laundering and Rs 14,500-crore bank fraud case involving the Sandesara brothers.
The Gujarat MP is being questioned about his purported links with Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech pharmaceutical company promoters, the Sandesara brothers, and alleged dealings of his family members with them.
The probe agency officials have already questioned the 70-year-old in three separate sessions earlier in June. "I have answered all the 128 questions asked by the ED," he said, adding that someone who has not done any wrong should not fear.
Mr Patel, who has accused the government of "using probe agencies every time it faced a crisis or when there was an election", was allowed questioning at home after he refused to visit the probe agency's office citing prevailing COVID-19 guidelines that discourage senior citizens from going out.
According to sources in the ED, an employee of the Sandesara brothers had given a statement that he gave money to Mr Patel's son-in-law Irfan Siddiqui at the Gujarat MP's residence.
The agency had then questioned Mr Siddiqui and Mr Patel's son Faisal and recorded their statements last year.
The Sandesara brothers money laundering case pertains to the alleged Rs 14,500 crore bank loan fraud that is said to have been perpetrated by Sterling Biotech and its main promoters and directors - Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara, Chetankumar Jayantilal Sandesara and Deepti Sandesara - all of whom are missing.
Nitin and Chetankumar are brothers.
The agency has alleged that this is a bigger bank scam in volume than the Rs 13,400 crore PNB fraud involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.
The Sandesaras are also facing separate probes by the CBI and the Income Tax Department for their alleged nexus with some high-profile politicians and charges of corruption and tax evasion, respectively.
The brothers fled India in 2017 and are stated to be based in Albania, from where India is trying to extradite them.
The ED registered a criminal case in connection with the alleged bank loan fraud on the basis of an FIR and a charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)
