ED summoned me as witness in bitcoin probe: Raj Kundra
Mumbai, June 6: Mumbai businessman Raj Kundra on Wednesday claimed that he had gone to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a witness for the ongoing investigations in the Rs 2,000 crore bitcoin scam.
Kundra -- the husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty -- had appeared before the ED office in Mumbai on Tuesday.
According to some media reports (not by IANS), he was reportedly grilled for several hours by the ED investigators.
"I was summoned by the ED merely as a witness. An enquiry is underway by the concerned regulatory authorities and I stand committed to extend all my cooperation to the law enforcement agency," Kundra said, clearing the air on the issue in a statement.
A businessman with interest in sports, this is not Kundra's first brush with law.
In the past, he had appeared before different authorities on his investments in the Rajasthan Royals IPL team.
Some members of that team were also embroiled in the cricket spot-fixing scandal.
In his statement here vis-A-vis the media speculation of his grilling, Kundra said: "I am terribly disappointed by the irresponsible reporting carried out by some sections of the media. Clarity on the issue should have been sought before carrying such headlines."
"The authorities, summoned me merely as a witness, as the accused Amit Bharadwaj happens to be an acquaintance and some introductions were made hence there is a certain protocol being followed by the agencies," said Kundra.
He added that Bharadwaj was intending to buy a team in his Poker League and had entered into a contract with them for the same.
"However, he was expelled on account of non-payment of fees and I was called as a witness in this connection. While we continuously strive to keep taking steps to improve our reputation, these type of unconfirmed, baseless, reports severely dent our market perception and erode investor sentiments," he said.
"Notwithstanding what has happened, at Viaan Industries, we shall continue to focus on growing our gaming and media vertical. We remain excited about the company's future and strive to keep adding shareholder value," he said.
It may be recalled, the ED, sometime back, had registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against a bitcoin-based investment website GainBitcoin, its founder Amit Bhardwaj and eight others.
The ED had alleged that about 8,000 investors lost around Rs 2,000 crore funds by transacting in this scheme.
The Pune police had later arrested Bhardwaj and his brother Vivek in the case.
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MSP demand: Farmer organisations SKM, KMM to start fast unto death from Nov 26
Chandigarh, Nov 16: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Saturday announced that they will intensify their agitation in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, by observing fast unto death from November 26.
Addressing the media here, SKM (non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal accused the Centre of not taking any steps to accept their demands.
Dallewal said he will begin the fast unto death from November 26 at the Khanauri border point. "From November 26, we will start fast unto death."
The farmer leader said the Centre has not held talks with the protesting farmers regarding their demands since February 18.
The SKM and the KMM are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands.
The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, when their march was stopped by the security forces.
They are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
