I never meet Hasan Ali: Iqbal Singh
NEW DELHI: Iqbal Singh Puducherry’s Lt Governor says in a letter written to Home Ministry that he did recommend Pune-based Hasan Ali’s name, considered to be country’s biggest tax evader, for a passport.
But he said that he doesn’t have any links with Hasan Ali.
In the letter to the Ministry, he claims that he recommended passport for Hasan Ali on behalf of a plea made by Congress leader Amalendu Pandey on April 4, 1997.
Singh insists that he recommended the passport on compassionate/health grounds. He also said that he does not know Hasan Ali personally and has also never met him.
VS Pandey, the Principal Secretary in the Uttar Pradesh government was removed from his post following reports of his alleged links with Hasan Ali.
Hasan Ali, who is currently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate, is accused of allegedly stashing away billions of dollars in Swiss bank accounts. He was arrested last month and moved to Mumbai from Pune.
As a penalty for tax evasion Hasan Ali has been asked to pay Rs. 70,000 crore. He is currently lodged in the high-security Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
