IMA scam: CBI arrests former Karnataka minister Roshan Baig

BENGALURU: Former minister Roshan Baig was arrested by the sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday, for his alleged involvement in the Rs. 4,000 crore I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) scam.

Sources in the CBI said that Baig was summoned for an inquiry on Sunday morning. “He was questioned about his involvement in the case and as there was evidence that he had played a role in a scam, he was arrested. He was subjected to a medical test including for COVID-19 and was produced before a magistrate. The court remanded him in judicial custody and he was shifted to Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara”.

Baig was taken to the prison at around 7.45 pm and he is lodged at the quarantine centre at the prison. “He will be there for 14 days and he will be moved to regular barracks later,” sources in the prison said.

In July 2019, the Special Investigation Team formed by the state government had quizzed Baig for the first time in connection with the case, before the case was handed over to the CBI. It is learnt that the CBI had zeroed in on Baig, based on the statement made by the founder and MD of IMA, Mohammed Mansoor Khan. Investigations had also reportedly revealed that the MLA had received kickbacks from the IMA.

Khan, who was absconding before surrendering to the SIT, had released an audio clip blaming Baig for the failure of the IMA project and had levelled several allegations against the then MLA of Shivaji Nagar. Refuting the allegations, Baig had tweeted, “He (Khan) craftily dropped my name to divert attention from himself since he knew that playing dead would buy him time to plan out further mischief, the helpless victims will have no choice but to look for somebody to point fingers at”.