PANJIM: In a span of around 18 months, alleged hawala operator Raichand Soni handed over approximately Rs 1.85 crore to former Louis Berger employees, which in turn was paid to others in the form of bribes. What’s interesting is that Soni never questioned any LB employee on what the huge amount of money collected from him was to be used for.
In his confessional statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC, Soni said Sanjay Jindal, then employed with LB, asked him for the huge sum. It was through Prasanna Shah that Jindal got in touch with Soni in this regard.
“…as per my instructions, Mukesh (Soni’s employee) paid sum of Rs 50-60 lakh each on two occasions to Ramprasad (another witness), who was sent by Jindal. On both occasions, said payment was done at my shop in my presence,” he said.
During his bail arguments a month ago, Soni had said that his friend Shah had called him to pay the amount to Jindal, which he delivered through Mukesh Bharati. “I withdrew the huge amount from my bank account. I can afford to since I am financially sound with vast real estate business,” he had said through his lawyer.
About 7-8 months after that payment, former LB employee Shiv Ramprasad Malladi was handed over another Rs 50 lakh on request from Jindal somewhere in the capital city. Soni was not present at the time when Mukesh handed over the cash as he was unwell.
“Somewhere after three months later, Mukesh again made a payment of Rs 10-15 lakh to Ramprasad on my instructions and as requested by Jindal. This was again in the capital and not at my shop,” he added. Soni never met Jindal as their conversation was restricted to phone calls. “I do not know for what purpose the said amount was use by Jindal,” Soni has said.
