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Won’t let DHFL scam accused Wadhawans flee country like other defaulters, says Maharashtra minister
The Wadhawans, with a group of 23 other individuals, had flouted Covid-19 lockdown orders and travelled to Mahabaleshwar from Khandala on April 8.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday that the state government will hand over Wadhawan brothers - accused in multi crore Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) scam and Yes Bank scam - to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as their 14-day quarantine ends today.
In his Facebook live address on Wednesday, Deshmukh said that the 14-day quarantine of the businessmen brothers will end in the afternoon on Wednesday after which custody can be sought by the central agencies. “We have written to both the central agencies that they can take the custody on Wednesday afternoon. They are at a school in Mahabaleshwar (in Satara district) completing their mandatory quarantine,” he said.
Wadhawan brothers and 21 other family members were detained by Satara police on March 7 after they illegally travelled to Mahabaleshwar from Khandala in Pune violating the lockdown orders. They had travelled between two districts on a letter issued by IPS officer Amitabh Gupta, who is principal secretary (special) in home department. The Wadhawans and 21 others have been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code.
“We would not let Wadhawans flee the country as a few defaulter businessmen have fled in the past,” he added.
Maharashtra government has ordered an inquiry against Amitabh Gupta by additional chief secretary (finance) Manoj Saunik for illegally issuing the letter to the Wadhwans. Gupta has been sent on compulsory leave.
After their arrest the CBI and ED had written to Satara police to keep Wadhwans under detention until the end of the lockdown. The promoters of Deewan Housing Finance Limited, now insolvent, are wanted by the central agencies for their respective probe in the alleged Yes Bank fraud.
Meanwhile, the DHFL promoters have obtained interim protection from arrest till May 5 from the special CBI court. The court has granted them protection considering that their arrest is not possible during the period owing to the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown. “We have written to the central agencies to take over the custody anytime from now. It is upto them to decide when act upon our request,” a home department official said.
The five luxury vehicles, in which DHFL promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan travelled to their farmhouse in Mahabaleshwar during the coronavirus lockdown, were seized by the Satara police on the instructions of the ED.
The two Range Rovers and three Toyota Fortuner cars, owned by Wadhawan brothers, were seized under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The two brothers are named as accused in the CBI FIR pertaining to swindling of money by Yes Bank former CEO Rana Kapoor and other accused. The duo is also being probed in the DHFL case.
