IMA scam: Former Bengaluru Urban DC Vijay Shankar, 2 others booked for taking bribe

Just a day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided IPS officers in Karnataka, including Hemant Nimbalkar and Ajay Hilory, in the I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) scam, a case has been registered against IAS officer BM Vijay Shankar.

Vijay Shankar was the Deputy Commissioner for Urban Bengaluru district when the scam broke out. Other than Vijay Shankar, the CBI has booked LC Nagaraj, the then Sub-Division Officer, Bangalore North Division; Manjunath, Village Accountant, officiating at Sub-Division Office, Bangalore North Division; among others.

All of them have been booked under Section 7 (Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration); Section 7(A) (taking undue advantage of public), Section 8 (Taking gratification, in order, by corrupt or illegal means, to influence public servant) and Section 12 (Punishment for abetment of offences defined in section 7) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 

In a release, the CBI said. “Vijay Shankar and Nagaraj accepted illegal gratification from the Directors of IMA Group of companies through Manjunath who acted as a mediator for the transaction. The illegal gratification was demanded and accepted by the above two public servants for forwarding a favourable report to Government in an enquiry into the illegal activities of IMA Group of Companies which was under their consideration.”

It added, “The illegal gratification of Rs 1.5 crores demanded by Shri. B.M. Vijay Shankar was delivered to a real estate.”

Further, Nagaraj obtained an illegal gratification of Rs 4 crores and Manjunath, who acted as a mediator for these transactions, accepted Rs 8 lakhs as illegal gratification from the Directors of IMA Company, the CBI said.

IMA has allegedly duped over 40,000 investors to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore under the pretext of ‘halal’ investment. The scam broke out on June 10, after thousands of investors accused the Managing Director of IMA, Mohammed Mansoor Khan, of cheating them.

While the investigations were started by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) as ordered by former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, the CBI is currently probing under the orders of current Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

Incidentally, this is the third FIR registered by the CBI in the case.