Ahmed Patel evades ED summons; son confesses knowing Chetan Sandesara

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel has evaded summons sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). On Monday, the senior Congress leader wrote to the ED citing COVID-19 guidelines for not being able to join the probe in the Rs.8,000 crore Sterling Biotech case. Republic TV has learnt that Ahmed Patel has told ED that he can't appear before ED because he is a senior citizen and as per COVID guidelines he needs to stay indoor.

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Sterling Biotech case

The agency has already written back to Ahmed Patel saying that they are willing to come to his residence and question him. In fact, the agency has given two options - either he could be questioned this week / next week. Top sources in ED, meanwhile, have confirmed that Ahmed Patel's son and his son-in-law have confessed that they knew Chetan Sandesara. Ahmed Patel's son has already been questioned thrice by the ED.

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Republic TV earlier had reported that witnesses in the Sterling Biotech case had named Ahmed Patel, his son Faisal Patel and his son-in-law Irfan Siddique in the investigation. The ED had filed a case of money laundering against Sandesara group company Sterling Biotech in August 2017. During the same period, promoters of the company Nitin and Chetan Sandesara fled the country. Later on October 23, 2018, the agency filed a chargesheet in the Sterling Biotech case in a special PMLA (Prevention of money laundering Act) court in New Delhi. In June, sources had also said that Congress leader Ahmed Patel's house was named by the witness as the headquarters for the scam.

ED has already attached properties worth Rs.9,777 crore of Sandesara brothers. ED probe has revealed that total outstanding dues to banks is over Rs.13,371 crore rupees. The total fraud stands at over Rs.8000 crore. Through 249 shell companies, the bank loan was diverted abroad. Sandesaras are also accused of diverting Rs.249 crore for personal use incorporating over 100 companies in the British Virgin Islands, Nigeria, Barbados, and diverting the money.

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