IMA scam: "Mansoor Khan came to me with Roshan Baig," says Revenue Minister R V Deshpande
Bengaluru, Jun 17: Against the backdrop of the alleged financial fraud involving IMA jewels here, Revenue minister R V Deshpande Monday said Congress MLA R Roshan Baig had introduced the firm's owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan to him about two months ago but denied doing any undue favour.
Speaking to reporters, Deshpande said, "Mansoor had come to me along with Roshan Baig. What Baig told me was that he belong to his constituency (Shivajinagar).
He (Baig) said he (Khan) runs a good school and is a good man. He told me that he runs a jewellery shop and he spoke to me about some difficulties. I told him that whatever is possible within the framework of law I will do it.
I did say this. He did come to me. This is not a new story...we have not done any undue favours."
Recalling his meeting, Deshpande said there was a police report (about the firm) dated May 25, 2019 but the duo (Baig and Khan) came to him before it came out.
The police department had said IMA did not attract provisions of the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors (KPID) Act after the RBI wanted the firm's deals be investigated.
Not satisfied with the report, the RBI wrote to the state government asking it to reinvestigate the matter. The police report reaffirmed that Khan's firm did not attract the provisions of the Act.
"We have been very clear. Though these reports have come, we have not given any clean chit to anybody," Deshpande told PTI.
Deshpande's remarks come against the backdrop of reports that an MLA took Khan along with him to a minister asking him to bail him out from the firm's crisis.
Repeated attempts to contact Baig proved futile.
Both Deshpande and Baig belong to the Congress.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team formed to probe the case, conducted raids at the residences of Khan and his wife, Tabassum.
Deputy commissioner of police S Girish, who is a member of the SIT, told reporters that some documents, gold, laptop and Rs 2.7 lakh in cash was seized from her house.
The laptop carried information vital to the investigation, Girish added.
The Karnataka High Court, hearing a batch of petitions from 18 investors seeking a CBI probe into the alleged fraud, Monday served notices onKhan, the state government and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The matter has been posted for hearing on June 28.
The city-based IMA jewels had allegedly cheated a large number of investors after promising them impressive returns on their deposits.
Seven directors of the firm were apprehended on June 12.
Khan went absconding after allegedly threatening to commit suicide in an audio clip.He even accused Roshan Baig of taking Rs 400 crore from himand not returning it.
Baig had rubbished the charge, alleging that his political adversaries had orchestrated the "series of events" to tarnish his character.
Senior Congress leader H K Patil has urged the state government to formulate regulations under a law that enables confiscation of properties of fraudsters and returning it to investors in 180 days.
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CM Siddaramaiah, FM Nirmala Sitharaman lead polio vaccination drive in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman led the statewide pulse polio vaccination drive on Sunday.
While Siddaramaiah kicked off the campaign along with state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Home Minister G Parameshwara at his residence 'Kaveri' here, Sitharaman, who is in Vijayanagara district in the state, holding Chintan Shivir, administered pulse polio drops to children below five years of age in Kamalapura.
"Smt @nsitharaman launched the Polio Immunisation Drive in Kamalapura, Karnataka, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to safeguarding child health and ensuring a polio-free India," a post on her 'X' account said.
The post further said that children under five years of age were administered Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) drops, "reinforcing the collective effort to protect future generations through timely immunisation."
According to the details shared by the health departments, about 62.4 lakh children have been identified for it.
ALSO READ: Man from Rajasthan arrested for duping devotees visiting Kollur Temple using fake website
"Under the routine immunization programme, every Child is given 5 doses of OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) and 3 doses of IPV (inactivated injectable polio vaccine) and Government of Karnataka is committed that no child should miss these doses," a government statement said.
Apart from all hospitals in the state, special focus will be given to immunise children living in villages, hilly areas, brick kilns, slums, migrant areas, farmhouses, urban slums. Booths will also be set up in railway stations, metro stations, airports and Seaports, the statement said.
The state health department has set up 33,258 booths and deployed 1,030 mobile teams, 2,096 transit teams, 1,13,115 vaccinators and 7,322 Supervisors.
All children below five years of age will be administered the oral polio vaccine on December 21, 2025.
"Even if your child has received any number of doses of OPV before, it is very essential to immunise your child again during this round," the department said.
In order to allay concerns, the department said the polio vaccine is completely safe and people should not to believe in any false rumours.
Smt @nsitharaman launched the Polio Immunization Drive in Kamalapura, Karnataka, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to safeguarding child health and ensuring a polio-free India.
— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) December 21, 2025
On the occasion, children under five years of age were administered Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)… pic.twitter.com/PN4IJUGtnn
ಗೃಹಕಚೇರಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾದಲ್ಲಿ "ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಲಸಿಕಾ ದಿನ"ವನ್ನು ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಪಲ್ಸ್ ಪೋಲಿಯೊ ಲಸಿಕೆ ಹಾಕುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಿದೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 21, 2025
ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರೂ ತಮ್ಮ 5 ವರ್ಷದೊಳಗಿನ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿದ ತಪ್ಪದೇ ಪೋಲಿಯೊ ಲಸಿಕೆ ಹಾಕಿಸುವ ಮೂಲಕ "ಪೋಲಿಯೊ ಮುಕ್ತ ಭಾರತ"ದ ನಮ್ಮ ಅಭಿಯಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಬೆಂಬಲವಾಗಿ ನಿಲ್ಲಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಮನವಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ.
ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ದಿನೇಶ್… pic.twitter.com/uClMoqOnyB
