The probe agency is looking at Kundra punctuated business dealing with Iqbal Mirchi’s aide Ranjeet Bindra and a firm called Bastian Hospitality
Mumbai: Today Actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Businessman Raj Kundra is being questioned in a money laundering case involving gangster Iqbal Mirchi two days after he was summoned in the case.
For questioning Mr. Kundra reached the Ballard Pier office of Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai at around 11 am. He was summoned under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on November 4, however, he chose to appear before the probe agency earlier due to some personal engagement.
The probe agency is looking at Kundra’s punctuated business dealing with Iqbal Mirchi’s aide Ranjeet Bindra and a firm called Bastian Hospitality. Mr. Kundra had earlier denied any wrongdoing.
Raj Kundra’s dealings with Bindra
Iqbal Mirchi, who died of a heart attack in 2013 in London, was allegedly a close associate of terrorist Dawood Ibrahim in drug trafficking and extortion crimes. The Enforcement Directorate has filed a criminal case against Mirchi, his family and others to probe money laundering charges for alleged illegal dealings in purchase and sale of costly real estate assets in Mumbai. Mr. Bindra was recently arrested by the probe agency in the case.
Raj Kundra’s company Bastian Hospitality Private Limited also had Ranjeet Bindra as the director. Bindra was the first person to be arrested by the ED in connection with Iqbal Mirchi’s case.
Kundra denies links with Mirchi
Earlier Kundra had denied any wrongdoing in these business deals. “In 2011, he sold a plot that was owned near the airport including the company to RKW developers. Everything is documented and verified by my CA. This is the be-all and end-all of the deal. Any loans given to the company in question was after we sold the company to the new owner. He said we sold a zero-debt company! We have never taken a single loan it was taken by the new owners of the company”.
According to the sources after Kundra, Shetty may also be called for questioning. ED’s bone of contention is the investments made and interest-free loans issued to Essential Hospitality by RKW Developers.
Raj Kundra is a promoter of Viaan Technologies, which produces electronic games.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
