SIT sleuths invoke KPID Act to protect IMA investors

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday invoked the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act, 2004, in the IMA scam.

Police said investigations revealed that IMA founder Mohammed Mansoor Khan operated his company under the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) model while collecting investments from people. But he duped the investors by refusing to pay the returns or the principal.

Based on these findings, Khan has been booked under Section 9 of the KPID Act, a senior police official said.

Meanwhile, the SIT which had arrested 12 directors of the IMA Group has taken them into their custody for questioning. It conducted raids on the IMA Jewels store and seized gold, platinum, diamond jewellery besides silverware. The seized valuables and their documents will be handed over to the Department of Treasuries for further procedure.

With Khan purportedly releasing a video on Sunday, SIT officials who are aware of his whereabouts have stepped up efforts to secure his custody. The SIT earlier wrote to the Regional Passport Office, Bengaluru, to suspend Khan’s passport to stop his further movements.

In the purported video, Khan confirmed that he could not fly on June 14 as he was deboarded from the plane and was asked to stay put in his current location.