Karnataka ex-minister Roshan Baig's properties to be attached in IMA scam

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has issued orders for attaching the properties and bank accounts of former minister Roshan Baig who is accused in the multi-crore I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) scam. The State government has informed the Karnataka High Court that a notification was issued on July 6 in this connection.

The court recently expressed its unhappiness over the government's delay in confiscating the former minister's properties. The government responded saying that due to the lockdown the confiscation didn't happen.

Rejecting the reply, the court said that there could be no connection between the lockdown and the confiscation. It further observed that the government was hesitant in taking action against Baig.

The Central Bureau of Investigation's SPP Prasan Kumar told the court that the CBI had concluded its investigation in the IMA scam and filed the charge sheet against Baig.

The notification contained the list of properties as declared by Baig in 2018 Assembly election affidavit. The action was taken after finding that Baig had played a role in the promotion of the IMA Group and took financial gains. The properties to be attached are a commercial building on Hosur Road, a commercial building on the Residency Road, houses on Sanders Road and Cleveland Road and sites at HBR Layout, Frazer Town and Cleveland Road.

The scam came to light in June 2019 when the IMA operator Mohammed Mansoor Khan fled the country by releasing an audio clip accusing Baig of extorting crores of rupees. He had also named the involvement of many State government and central government officers in it. On his return from Dubai, Khan was arrested. The Karnataka government handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a thorough probe. So far, more than 25 people have been arrested. According to the CBI sources, the scam is around Rs 4,000 crore.