Ponzi scamster’s luxury cars gather dust in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 5 (IANS) At least half-a-dozen vehicles, including two luxury cars of Ponzi scamster Mansoor Ali Khan have been gathering dust at police stations in the city, a police official said on Thursday.

"Khan's vehicles, including two sedans (Rover and Jaguar) were seized during raids on his offices, showrooms and other properties after his ponzi scam came to light in early June. They (sedans) were parked at Ulsoor police station in the eastern suburb and other vehicles in the CID office complex for lack of space elsewhere," a former Special Investigation Team (SIT) inspector told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

As the new BJP government transferred the multi-core ponzi scam to the CBI on August 21, the SIT has handed over the case files and all the seizures made, including cash, gold ornaments, diamonds and other properties like his personal and office vehicles to the premier investigation agency.

"Khan's other vehicles such as an Innova, a school van, a mini-truck and a mini-bus were parked at the CID office complex, as there is no space in the jurisdictional police stations where they were seized and cases registered," said the former investigation officer.

Though the main case was filed on June 10 at the Commercial Street police station in whose jurisdiction Khan's IMA Jewellers' main showroom and office are located, Khan's vehicles and other assets were seized when the SIT was set up in mid-June to probe the scam.

"As there is no space on the busy Commercial Street area in the city's central business district and many vehicles seized in other cases are already parked around other police stations, Khan's vehicles had to be parked in the CID office compound in the city centre where the SIT was functioning," recalled the inspector.

The SIT also seized I Monetary Advisory's (IMA) other luxury cars, which were given to its directors, some of whom were arrested for their alleged involvement in the scam along with the prime accused (Khan).

"It is not only Khan's luxury cars but even that of his directors were seized and parked at various police stations for want of space. They will remain till the case is investigated and shifted for auction on the court's order to recover whatever amount they can fetch," said the former inspector but declined to be named as the case is under the CBI now.

According to depositions Khan and some of the directors made when the SIT was probing, the scamster had used the sedans extensively in the city and for outstation trips.

When the police spotted the black Jaguar XF and the Range Rover in the parking slot at the Bengaluru international airport, about 40km away from the city centre, preliminary investigation revealed that Khan drove to the airport in them with heavy luggage on the intervening night of June 8-9 for fleeing the country and instructed his drivers to leave them there.

"It is not only Khan's sedans but many such luxury cars are rusting at many police stations across the city, as they were seized and parked till the cases involving them are solved or disposed of," the official added.

Khan, 48, was arrested on return from Dubai at the New Delhi airport on July 19 and flown to Bengaluru on July 20 and has been in judicial custody since then for facing the investigation.