DA case: Karnataka HC rejects Zameer's plea

Bengaluru: The high court on Saturday rejected the petition filed by Minister for Housing Zameer Ahmed Khan in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case.

In the case registered by the Lokayukta police, it is alleged that Zameer was found in possession of assets 2,031% of the known sources of his income.

Initially, the investigation was conducted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the IMA scam case wherein certain transactions amounting to Rs 9.38 crore were found between Zameer Ahmed and Mansoor Ali Khan, the promoter of the IMA group. Khan had argued that the case had been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act without the mandated preliminary enquiry report as well as source report. 

However, Justice M Nagaprasanna noted that in the case on hand, a crime had already been registered against the promoter of IMA, in connection with which the ED had searched the premises and office of Zameer. “It is then a report is sent under Section 66 (2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Thus, the registration of crime preceded the information by the ED. Merely because information is furnished and a source report is drawn on that basis it would not vitiate the proceedings initiated against the petitioner as they are all backed by the statute,” the court said.