Hasan Ali case: Enforcement Directorate to question Puducherry Lt governor

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will question Puducherry Lt Governor Iqbal Singh and Uttar Pradesh principal secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey in connection with the passport procured by Pune businessman Hasan Ali Khan and some investments done by him abroad.

Sources said summons have been already issued to Iqbal while the same to Pandey will be issued next week following questioning of a Bihar politician Amalendu Pandey by the ED in Mumbai.

They said the two will be questioned with regard to procurement of passport by Ali and some investments that he did at foreign shores.

The ED is mulling to question Ali's aide Kashinath Tapuria, presently in the agency's custody, after similar leads emerged in the case following the questioning of the politician.

Pandey was grilled on April 14 by the ED for allegedly procuring passport from Patna for Ali by forging documents.

The ED, which summoned Pandey to appear before it, had mentioned in its remand application that it was necessary to question Pandey regarding transactions of Khan in Singapore and also to find out the reasons for obtaining the second passport from Patna.

Ali, Pandey and Tapuria had allegedly travelled to Singapore in 1997 to open an account in the United Bank of Switzerland.

Ali is accused of massive money-laundering, tax evasion and stashing away huge amounts in foreign banks.

According to a report of the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG), Hasan Ali and Tapuriahs owe the government about Rs75,000 crore in taxes.