Key players in Citibank,MNP scams connected

One of the prime accused in the Citibank case,Rajender Chand – a close aide and associate of Shivraj Puri – the mastermind behind Citibank scam,was also one of the directors of Normans Martin Brokers Private Limited – a multi-crore company of which Shivraj Puri’s father Raghuran and mother Deeksha Puri were also the directors. Rajender Chand,who is presently on bail,and his associate Sanjeev Sharma – another director in Normans Martin Brokers Private Limited – were employees of a well known corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar,based in New Delhi. Talwar owns a company called DTA Consulting and his proximity with senior political leaders is well known in the Delhi’s political and corporate circles.

In fact,Talwar’s company in a joint venture with Telcordia,MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions India Private Limited,got the contract for the MNP. The Delhi Police’s investigations in the MNP scam,even reveals that Talwar had allegedly roped in a senior IAS officer,Ravi Inder Singh,former director with the Ministry of Home Affairs,through a businessman Vineet Kumar,for obtaining information on file notings as well as regular guidance in obtaining security clearance for Telcordia’s mobile number portability application. Both Kumar and Singh have been arrested.

Interestingly,the Haryana Police’s investigations in the Citibank fraud case have revealed how Rajender Chand and Sanjeev Sharma – the two directors in Puri family’s Normans Martin Brokers Private Limited – a company also under scanner in Citibank scam,were Talwar’s employees in his company DTA Consulting.

According to the information gathered by Haryana police,Chand was also managing director of ITC Classic Limited,a non-banking financial services company,which allegedly went bankrupt in the 90s. Sharma was a senior employee of ITC Classic. Both were allegedly sacked by ITC,subsequently,following discovery of their role in alleged dubious investments made by ITC Classic,in which the company incurred heavy losses.

Chand had also been a managing director of the Integral PR,a public relations firm,till he was arrested by Haryana Police for his role in Citibank scam. Integral PR was also owned by Talwar.

Queried,a senior officer,said,“It is not yet certain if both the scams were also interlinked,or if money minted by the accused from one scam,was pumped in to the other one. Our investigations are on.”

HC rejects bails of Citibank scam accused

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday denied bail to all the accused,except one,involved in the multi-crore Citibank case. The court rejected the regular bail plea of Raghuraj Puri (prime accused Shivraj Puri’s father) and Sanjay Gupta (Shivraj’s associate),Deeksha Puri’s (Shivraj’s mother) anticipatory bail plea was also rejected. Deeksha,who was on interim bail,is likely to surrender in the Gurgaon court,on Wednesday. Another accused in the case,Rajender Chand,was granted bail.