AAP vs centre: DDCA president moved Rs 1.55 cr to firms not found at listed addresses

READ| DDCA to file defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal, Kirti Azad 

Speaking to The Indian Express, Bansal claimed that he had transferred the money so that the association could earn 15 per cent interest on the amount. But the DDCA’s internal auditor and fact-finding probe concluded that the “unsanctioned transfer” was done with “ulterior motive” as the money was returned six months later with a shortfall of Rs 10,000.

The DDCA report stated that the three companies — Shri Ram Tradecom Pvt Ltd, Maple Infrareality Pvt Ltd and Vidhan Infrastructure — returned the amount within days but the cheques were not presented to the bank for clearance. “The cheques were sent to Association for squaring off the amount at the end of financial year and the intention was not to return the money,” the report stated.

The police complaint and letters written by DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan to two BCCI presidents — Jagmohan Dalmiya and N Srinivasan — state that a “major portion of the Rs 1.55 crore was re-transferred within a few days by the aforesaid companies to M/S Rattan Industries which is a family company of Mr SP Bansal”.

When contacted, Bansal denied the allegation. “The money (Rs 1.55 crore) was given to the three companies because I knew the promoters well. They have credibility and hence the money was given to them. This was done so that the DDCA could earn higher interest. The money was returned to the DDCA subsequently with interest of about 15 per cent,” said Bansal.

DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda, however, said the money was returned only after Bansal was questioned over the transfer. “Bansal returned the money only after questions were raised by the executive committee and the internal audit about how DDCA money could be given to any random company. The money was transferred in a clandestine manner. Bansal returned the money only after he was caught. Moreover, the interest was received on a much later date,” said Manchanda.

An extract from the minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of Maple Infrareality Pvt Ltd shows that Shri Ram Tradecom has 41,000 shares in the company and Vidhan Infrastructure 25,000. But when The Indian Express visited the address listed against the three companies on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website, it turned out to be a deadend.

Shri Ram Tradecom Pvt Limited show their registered offices at 214/1 DDA Building, District Centre, Janakpuri, New Delhi, India 110058 and 173 Deepali, Pitampura, Delhi, India -110034. Records show Hitesh Arora as director. It is said to have received Rs 53,50,00.

At Janakpuri’s run-down DDA complex, past a dingy lobby lit by a tubelight, there’s a door with the number 214 hand-painted on the wall next to it. TIN Facilitation Centre, said a small metal board. On the door was pasted black-and-white A4-sized printouts with PAN and AADHAR written in bold.

At the door, a youth identified himself as a computer operator and said, “We have been here for a few months now but we haven’t heard of Shri Ram Tradecom.” Maple Infrareality Private Limited shares this address but the youth said he had not heard about the company.

It’s the same story at Pritampura, where 173, Deepali is a four-floored residential building. “There is no company here or anyone by the name of Hitesh Arora,” said the watchman.

Housed at 0-9/A-2, Maple’s other registered office at Dilshad Garden in East Delhi, is SRS Builder and ABS Build Home Pvt. Ltd, located in a cramped space between a shop with its shutters down and a ‘Communication Point’ kiosk specialising in “computer job work”.

At the address, seated on a puffed leather chair is the firm’s director Karan Manocha. Asked about Maple Infrareality, Manocha said, “A few days ago, someone else came looking for them. It looked like they were from the CBI but I am not sure.”

Manocha and the neighbours say SRS has been operating from this address for more than 15 years. The owner says he has no association with the Delhi cricket and was hearing Bansal’s name for the first time.

The third company, Vidhan Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, which got Rs 52,10,000 from the DDCA on 30/1/14, is based out of H, No. 13, L-Extn, Part II, Mohan Garden, Delhi-50, according to government records.

The address is located inside a maze of residential clusters. At the door, an elderly woman said this was the “second Vidhan inquiry” she was answering. “We don’t know anything. There is no company here,” she said.

When Bansal was asked about these companies, he claimed they were owned by his friends. But when told that they did not exist at their registered addresses, he said, “They are registered companies. They have addresses on the Ministry of Corporate affairs website.”

Asked about the contact details of his “friends” who owned these companies, he said he would revert in a few hours. Bansal never called back.