Meet Moin Qureshi: Meat exporter under tax lens, in Modi crosshairs
When the income tax department began tracking the phones of Kanpur-based meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi at the end of December, and raided his offices and properties in mid-February, it had not expected that the BJP and the Congress would spar over this little-known businessman in the heat of the Lok Sabha poll campaign.
Even as income tax officers worked on the leads found during the raids and pursued their probe of Qureshi’s wealth, the BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi raised the case at an election rally in Akbarpur on April 18. “Shouldn’t the truth come out?” Modi demanded, hinting at a scandal.
Eight days later, Modi escalated his attack and alleged that conversations of persons who had “close links” with 10 Janpath, the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, figured in the telephone calls intercepted by the income tax department. He also alleged that Qureshi has strong ties with 10 Janpath and other Congress leaders.
Qureshi did not respond to requests from The Indian Express for his comments for this report.
For 57-year-old Qureshi who got into business through a small abattoir in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh in 1993, the attention is as unusual as it is apparently unwelcome. Following the income tax raids, Delhi’s chatterati and bureaucracy have been abuzz with talk of his alleged links to top investigation agencies, bureaucrats and politicians. For the record, Qureshi’s daughter Pernia was married to London-based chartered accountant Ajith Prasad’s son Arjun, a close relative of Union minister of state Jitin Prasada.
A Doon school alumnus and president of its old boys’ society, Qureshi is known to have started 25 companies since 1993, with AMQ Agro, which exports animal gut, being the flagship firm. Filings with the Registrar of Companies show that seven of his companies deal in real estate and have non-descript activities with a low paid-up capital base. He is also into construction, among others, and daughter Pernia runs a fashion store.
Although some industry watchers say that Qureshi’s empire started expanding in 2005, one source said Qureshi had become a business associate of the controversial late liquor baron Ponty Chaddha in 1995. However, he is said to have fallen out of favour with Chaddha’s son Monty after Ponty’s death in 2012.
Income tax officials allege that the wealth and the lifestyle of the Qureshis, and the annual turnover of all his firms – which was under Rs 80 crore in 2012-13 – do not add up. More than two months after they raided him, his alleged undisclosed income is said to be around Rs 150 crore.
Qureshi’s first brush with controversy happened during Pernia’s wedding in February 2011. He had flown in celebrated Pakistani Sufi singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to entertain his guests and Khan was arrested at the airport on his way back by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for allegedly not disclosing that he was taking out US dollars amounting to Rs 56 lakh in cash. It was subsequently found that Khan allegedly took his fees in cash. Sources suspect that Qureshi may have come under the scanner of tax authorities after this incident.
When they finally raided him on February 15, income tax officers zeroed in on 15 locations in the NCR region and Uttar Pradesh, including three addresses in the upscale Defence Colony. One of them was a white corner house belonging to Qureshi where 15 of his firms, including AMQ Agro, are registered. Another house belonged to the mother of former CBI director A P Singh, from where Qureshi runs his office. The Doon School Old Boys Society also has an office here since Qureshi became its president two years ago.
Qureshi, in fact, is part of two of the most powerful “old boys” networks in Delhi, the Dosco and the Stephanian. These elite groups include ministers, bureaucrats, journalists and businessmen who meet at least once a month. Qureshi is a permanent invitee to all their events and he is known to occasionally host dinners and lunches for select members.
An income tax team also went to his sprawling Chattarpur farm house on a five-acre farm bought in 2002. This property was designed by renowned French architect and interior designer, Jean-Louis Deniot, and was featured on the cover of popular design magazine Elle Decor.
In fact, when the tax investigators reached the farm house, they are said to have run into Deniot there. According to the income tax returns filed by Qureshi, the farm house was designed by Deniot on a “pro-bono” basis. But his wife Nasreen was quoted in the Elle Decor article as saying that the couple had not known Deniot previously.
“She’d never actually seen any of Deniot’s work; she’d simply sat next to him at a dinner party in New York and found him charming,” the article said. “I just liked him,” she is quoted as saying in the article. “But my husband was very upset. He said, ‘He’s a French guy and he’s never been to India. What kind of house can he make?’.”
No fear, some favour: I-T probes ‘friendly’ text messages between meat exporter Qureshi and ex-CBI chief A P Singh
Moin QureshiThe income tax probe into the alleged tax evasion by meat exporter Moin Qureshi has taken a new turn as investigators are said to have found Blackberry Messenger (BBM) exchanges between Qureshi and former CBI director A P Singh, raising questions of propriety and possible conflict of interest.
Singh was CBI chief from 2010 to 2012, and was appointed member of the Union Public Service Commission in 2013 for a five-year term. He told The Indian Express that he had indeed exchanged messages with Qureshi on BBM, but termed them as “innocuous’’ and “non-incriminatory’’.
The messages, accessed by The Indian Express, indicate Singh and Qureshi knew each other well and that Singh allowed Qureshi to seek “help”, including on behalf of people being probed by the CBI.
Among others things, the messages show Qureshi apparently sought Singh’s help in connection with a business project linked to a top industrialist, for getting security clearance from the Intelligence Bureau director, and to reach out to union minister Kamal Nath for a Golf Club membership.
On his part, Singh, the messages indicate, leaned on Qureshi for buying an assortment of items for his house, as well as some personal effects such as carpets, furniture, garden umbrellas and spectacles.
The BBM exchanges have been a key focus of the income tax probe since February when Qureshi was raided and his mobile phone confiscated. A second round of raids were conducted in Punjab last week, sources said.
Finance ministry officials alleged that they have found Qureshi had evaded taxes to the tune of Rs 157 crore.
His suspected deposits in foreign accounts in Dubai, Hong Kong, the US and London are being examined along with 20 lockers sealed in Delhi.
Sources said investigators Singh came to their attention after they allegedly recovered his official letterheads and visiting cards as well as attested copies of his identity cards during the raids. A forensic examination of Qureshi’s phone found he had exchanged dozens of BBMs with Singh when he was CBI chief and also after he became a UPSC member.
For instance, in October 2011, Singh received this BBM from Qureshi: “Sir the petition I gave you last nite please help T S Narayanaswamy ex-chairman Bank of India who is known to our family for 30 years. Others I don’t know. Thanks and Regards.”
The CBI was at the time investigating Narayanaswamy for his alleged role in extending bank credit to a pharma company based in Delhi, Rajat Pharmachem Ltd, which allegedly defrauded public sector banks including Bank of India to the tune of Rs 800 crore.
In his reply, Singh said via BBM: “Checked. Chargesheet already filed. Now he has to approach the courts for relief.”
Reached for his comment about his name figuring in an exchange between Qureshi and the then CBI chief, Narayanaswamy told The Indian Express: “I don’t know Qureshi. I might have met him at some party. But I cannot recall. I have certainly not asked anybody to plead on my behalf.”
Another BBM exchange indicates Singh’s help was sought for a project Qureshi apparently intended to do with GMR group.
“GMR met me yesterday and said that delay was entirely because of you. Project was to be finalized by 30th Sept. FYI…,” Singh messaged Qureshi, referring to G M Rao, chairman of the GMR group.
Qureshi replied: “Ok Sir. Will check. With Salve. We have given all papers to GMR. We have one week left. Thanks & Regards.”
Another message from Singh said: “GMR is coming to the house tomorrow evening to discuss M&G. So if u r in town pl join us otherwise update on latest.”
In the days preceding the income tax raid, Qureshi sought Singh’s help in getting IB clearance for this project and messaged: “Sir I am out. The file is on DIB table. Now he has said he will clear it in the coming week. Lets see what happens.” Singh replied to Qureshi saying. “Ok. Will tell GMR”.
In another message, he referred to former IB director (DIB) Nehchal Sandhu and said, “Nehchal will do whatever captain tells him to do.”
Singh told The Indian Express that this exchange was in connection with a ‘meet and greet’ shop Qureshi wanted to set up at the Delhi airport and he was only extending help to a friend. He also stressed that there was no issue of conflict of interest even though the agency, during his term as director, was probing two cases in which GMR’s name figured – the Jaganmohan Reddy disproportionate assets case and a coal block allotment case.
On his letterheads and business cards being found during raids on Qureshi, Singh said he had given them to Qureshi for printing a few days before he retired as Qureshi is a friend. Referring to Qureshi’s message in connection with Narayanaswamy, he said anyone could give a petition and “I said I can’t do anything”.
Reached for comment, a GMR spokesperson said in an email response: “A letter of intent was awarded by DIAL to the JV company formed in India by Marhaba. As per regulatory requirement, the company then applied for security clearance to the relevant agencies…to enable them to start their operations. Since their security clearance was not forthcoming DIAL kept on pursuing the matter with them to expedite the process. In this context, former director, CBI, requested GMR to consider possible extension for some more time. After giving them a nominal extension, DIAL finally terminated the contract with Marhaba in April 2014.”
Reached for his comment, Sandhu said: “A P Singh did bring this matter of meet and greet to my notice. I told him I have no means to do anything. Nor did I do anything in this matter. I have never met Qureshi. Probably this might have led them to think, Captain Amarinder Singh, whom I know from Chandigarh from the 1980s, could pursue me.”
In another exchange a few months before Singh’s tenure at CBI was to end, Qureshi said: “I got a call from Kamal Naths office regarding my membership to the golf club. Saying that I am your friend, that will further help.”
Nath was Union minister at the time and the CBI was investigating alleged irregularities in the National Highway Authority of India which was under his charge.
Singh replied: “Just met him. He has agreed to give you a slot.”
Qureshi was among 30 people who got out of turn memberships at the elite Delhi Golf Club.
Qureshi and Nath did not respond to requests for their comments.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/no-fear-some-favour-i-t-probes-friendly-text-messages-between-meat-exporter-qureshi-and-ex-cbi-chief-a-p-singh/99/#sthash.ZtWibVwQ.dpuf
‘Astonishing’ links between ex-CBI chief A P Singh and Moin Qureshi, ‘pained’ AG tells SC
The Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday in strong words that an income tax report has disclosed “astonishing state of affairs” between former CBI director A P Singh and meat exporter Moin Qureshi and that Singh’s conduct was “wholly unbecoming of the office he held”.
The report has, however, given a clean chit to present CBI director Ranjit Sinha in this regard.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told a bench led by Justice Madan Lokur that the income tax appraisal report, prepared for analysis of a case and to determine the future course of action, unveiled that Singh and Qureshi, who is being probed for tax evasion cases, were in touch with each other “on a daily basis”.
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The conversations, Rohatgi said, were primarily in the form of Blackberry Messenger exchanges and “conclusively” established contact between the two on a regular basis on a variety of subjects, including “protecting some accused in cases”.
Rohatgi informed the bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, that he was “pained” to note that this was the organisation (CBI) that the courts have been trusting the most for a free and fair investigation.
Singh was CBI chief from 2010 to 2012, and was appointed as a UPSC member in 2013 for a five-year term. The India Express had in May this year reported about the contentious exchange of messages between Qureshi and Singh found by tax investigators. Qureshi is being probed for evasion of taxes to the tune of Rs 157 crore.
LINK to the Indian Express report on contentious exchange of messages between Moin Qureshi and A P Singh found by tax investigators
The appraisal report was summoned to the court on a plea by NGO Common Cause, which sought removal of current CBI director Sinha from the probe, accusing him of acting in collusion with Qureshi to shield coal block case accused from prosecution. The lengthy tax report has, however, clarified that there was nothing to implicate current CBI director Sinha, who was alleged to be using Qureshi as a conduit to protect those accused in the coal block cases. The basis of this application lay in the controversial list of visitors to Sinha’s New Delhi residence, where Qureshi was shown to be a frequent visitor, besides several other coal and 2G scam accused.
Rohatgi clarified that there was not even a single conversation between Qureshi and Sinha and the latter’s name always came up as a reference to something else or as a hearsay. The AG, referring to the Niira Radia tape case, added that while Income Tax could take action as far as taxation issues were concerned, the government would have to take a call on other aspects arising out of the tapped conversation.
After the AG made the government’s position clear regarding Sinha, CBI director’s counsel Vikas Singh said that he would press for perjury charges against the Common Cause. The bench, however, adjourned the matter for four weeks after Rohatgi adduced all the four volumes and requested the bench to duly peruse the appraisal report before passing an order on the NGO’s application.
On September 19, the SC had restrained the CBI from filing any chargesheet or closure report in the coal block allocation cases in the wake of the controversy kicked up by the visitors’ logbook at Sinha’s residence. The order was passed after the NGO had pressed its application.
Moin Qureshi BBM message to ex-CBI chief A P Singh: ‘Sir 500 words essay is good or 1000 word essay and size of jacket. Fast pls.’
“Sir 500 words essay is good or 1000 word essay and size of jacket. Fast pls.” When meat exporter Moin Qureshi sent this BBM message in July last year to A P Singh, the former CBI director who is now a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) replied, “500 words. 40 Jacket 16 collar size.”
This was in 2013, the same year that Singh joined the UPSC after he had retired as CBI director. Today, this mysterious message is one of the many between the two that convinced Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to inform the Supreme Court on October 17 that Singh’s conduct was “wholly unbecoming of the office he held (as CBI Director)”.
READ: Meet Moin Qureshi: Meat exporter under tax lens, in Modi crosshairs
According to the country’s top legal officer, these messages were “code language conversations on a daily basis on issues including helping the accused in some cases”.
In another BBM message sent in 2013, Qureshi asked: “From the file you left with me would you require some papers?” Singh replied: “Just some very small papers.”
Qureshi has since denied any knowledge of the files mentioned in the messages that were retrieved by officials at CERT-IN (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) from a laptop that was seized from his office premises in Delhi during an Income Tax raid on February 15.
Singh denied that these BBM messages were part of a “coded conversation”. “Qureshi was visiting London so I asked him to bring some shirts from a shop in Paris. The essay which is referred is two essays on international bribery prepared for my daughter that I had given to Qureshi for formatting. This is much after I left CBI. There is no question of any other association,” he said.
In fact, in an earlier message in that BBM sequence, Qureshi had asked Singh: “You need something from here?” Singh responded: “Just get some shirt from that shop but not slim fit”.
The Indian Express had first reported on May 15 that I-T officials were investigating various BBM exchanges between Qureshi and Singh, which indicated that the two knew each other well and that the businessman had even sought the former CBI director’s “help”, on behalf of people being probed by the bureau.
‘READ: Astonishing’ links between ex-CBI chief A P Singh and Moin Qureshi, ‘pained’ AG tells SC
In an appraisal report, called for by the Supreme Court, I-T officials had brought Qureshi under the scanner for “unexplained income” that he allegedly generated through “his connection with high ranking government officials”.
Singh was CBI chief from 2010 to 2012, and was appointed UPSC member in 2013 for a five-year term. The BBM messages cover a period between October 2011 and February 2014.
The IT report also cited another BBM exchange to indicate that Qureshi was intervening on behalf of those against whom the CBI had initiated proceedings.
In October 2011, Singh, then the CBI chief, received the following BBM from Qureshi: “Sir the petition I gave you last nite please help T S Narayanaswamy ex-chairman Bank of India who is known to our family for 30 years. Others I don’t know. Thanks and Regards.”
Singh replied: “Checked. Chargesheet already filed. Now he has to approach the courts for relief.”
The CBI was investigating Narayanaswamy for his alleged role in extending credit to Rajat Pharmachem Ltd, a Delhi-based pharma company, which had allegedly defrauded public sector banks, including the Bank of India, of around Rs 800 crore.
The apex court had asked for the IT appraisal report while hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Prashant Bhushan on the visit of individuals being probed by CBI to the residence of its current chief Ranjit Sinha. Bhushan had alleged that Qureshi who appears 70 times in the visitors list was acting as a conduit for Sinha. However, the Attorney General informed the court that there were no direct conversations between Sinha and Qureshi.
